AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wanted to take a break from my usual fics to write this. There is a sad lack of Mellie&Andrew fics. WHYYYY? They're so cuuuute. I've never written a Scandal fic before, so be nice? No? Okay. Just kidding. But no, seriously. Andrew&Mellie are my recent OTP and GOD, I just adore them. Mellie is my girl and I'm so glad she's gotten some love and happiness in her life, and I hope Shonda continues on with these two in the next season because THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS AND MELLIE NEEDS ANDREW (hence the title of this fic).
Anyway, sorry this is so short. Boo, you all know how I feel about writing short fics. I hate it. I always like writing fics at least 2k-3k long if I can. Oh, well. This was the only idea I had for them. I was disappointed they had no scenes in the finale and I really wanted Andrew to comfort her because Mellie really needed him, so here you go...
She hugged Little Jerry's shirt against her chest, the darkness enveloping her and matching how she was feeling. Sitting ramrod straight, Mellie stared off into space with hollow eyes, unaware of her surroundings. Not caring about anything other than the fact that she'd lost her son, a son she'd pushed away for years because she'd been afraid of what he'd been. Something he hadn't been all along, in fact. And now he was gone and there was nothing she could do to atone for all those lost years. And it hurt more than she thought possible.
Standing by the door, Andrew watched Mellie from his spot in the shadows, the only light coming from the lamp on the bedside table. It cast a dusky glow in the room, highlighting Mellie's figure. He caught the rise and fall of her shoulders, heard the sound of her sniffling every few minutes from the doorway. Andrew could imagine her fighting back tears and ached to go over to her, sit beside her and comfort her. But he was hesitant to whether or not she'd want his comfort after mending things with Fitz. Would he be crossing a line offering solace to her?
Andrew placed his hand on the door, turning to leave Mellie to grieve on her own. She turned around, catching him. "Stay," she implored, her gaze down. She tried to say more, her bottom lip quivering. She pressed her lips together, lifting her gaze to Andrew.
Joining her on the bed, Andrew sat beside her and reached over for her hand. "I'm sorry," he said, placing his hand over her's. "About Jerry. I know how much he meant to you. I wish I … could've been there." And he meant it. He wanted to be by her side all the time. He hated not being by her side always. He wished things were different.
Mellie smiled softly at his apology, numb to the offering now. She'd heard it so many times, if she heard it once more... she took a mental deep breath and calmed herself, listening to Andrew as he went on. She looked up at him, lips parting slightly as he admitted to wishing he could've been there by her side. Oh, if only he knew how much she had needed him these past weeks, days, hours. She'd been falling apart without him. She'd been drowning her sorrows in alcohol, becoming even more miserable as her thoughts about him multiplied exponentially. But here he was... "You're here now."
She said it so gently Andrew wasn't sure he had heard her speak or not. He looked over at her, seeing her smile. It was the first time he'd seen her smile since everything. And it was a real smile. A smile that reached her eyes and lit up her face. For a brief moment she looked shy and almost ducked her head, but Andrew reached out and hooked his fingers under her chin, lifting her face back up to meet his. "I'm here now," he said, one corner of his mouth lifting up into a smile.
Andrew tucked a strand of Mellie's hair behind her ear, then cupped the side of her face with his warm hand. He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb; her eyelids fluttered shut and she hugged Jerry's shirt tighter against her chest as she took a deep breath, reveling in the moment alone with Andrew, memorizing the feel of his touch against her skin. "You could've died," she finally said, not ignorant of that fact. Yes, she had been inebriated very frequently lately, but she was very aware she had come close to losing him. She could've lost both her son and Andrew. A man she cared very much about. Someone she possibly loved. No, someone she did love. What was it she had asked Fitz? What did it feel like to be so hot for someone? Did it feel so intense that it actually hurts? But she wasn't just hot for him. This wasn't some sordid affair. Not to either of them. Not to her.
"But I didn't," he said firmly. She leaned into the palm of his hand, opening her mouth to say something but Andrew stopped her by continuing, "I didn't get hurt. I was spared." Andrew ran his fingers through Mellie's hair, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Come here," he added, wrapping his arm around her.
She leaned forward, resting her head against Andrew's chest, feeling the top of her head brush against his chin. Her posture remained slightly rigid, so she closed her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. Finally, after a few moments, she relaxed and allowed herself to fall forward and let Andrew support her. She felt both his arms wrap around her, hold her tight. She felt his lips brush against her hair, his hands caress her back. Mellie buried her face into his chest and gripped onto his suit, her wet cheek staining the cloth.
"You are an exceptionally strong," Andrew continued, whispering against her hair. "Beautiful and intelligent woman, Mellie. There's no one else like you. You'll get through this, and I'll be right here beside you. Because I love you."
Mellie's grip alternated between tightening and loosening on Andrew's suit, her lips parting and closing as she fought to clear her mind. So many things coursed through her head at his confession. She felt it. She knew she felt it. She was lost without him. She needed him. But she was afraid to say it back. Why? She had imagined what her life would be like if he had died. Those ten plus years they could have had together, wasted and gone. Twelve happy years (much happier than her years with Fitz) they could have had together if she hadn't rejected him. What if she rejected him again? What if she was a fool again? What if Fitz took him from her?
To hell with it. "I love you, too." The words escaped her lips as a sigh after being held in for so many years. She felt relieved at once, smiling to herself and loosening her grip on Andrew's suit. She smoothed out his shirt with her hand as she pulled away, then looked up at him. "I should have said that a long time ago. I do love you. And right now all I need and want is you by my side," she told him.
He'd harbored feelings for her just as long as he wished to hear those words from her, and he wasn't sure which pleased him more. The fact he finally got to tell her he loved her or that she finally said those words back to him. Before he could say any of that to her, her declaring her want and need made him smile and look down. Andrew shifted on the bed, leaning his back against the headboard. Mellie followed suit, slipping her shoes off, two dull thuds resounding on the floor a moment later. Lying beside Andrew, Mellie rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arm around her. She continued to hug Jerry's shirt against her chest, dipping her head to inhale the scent of it now and then, remembering the last time he'd worn it. Tilting his head to the side, Andrew gazed at Mellie, ghosting his fingertips up and down her arm she had draped across his stomach. When she looked up at him, he saw such sadness in her eyes that he leaned in and pressed his lips against her forehead. He held her tighter with both his arms around her as if he could crush any sadness out of her, wishing he could, and lay his head against her own.