++++++++++++++++White House State of the Union Speech +++++++++++++++
"Mr. President it's time, I know you will be amazing, this is what you were born for." Cyrus smiled encouragingly at Fitzgerald Grant the III as he walked on the stage. It was the "State of the Union" speech. What he said will define his presidency, so no pressure at all.
He watched the news feed from his office. Every station was filled with hastily produced biographies about his life and his race to the White House. They hadn't expected him to win nobody did, so they were ill prepared to broadcast the story of his victory.
They talked about his education as a Rhodes Scholar, military record and his beloved father "Big Jerry's" exceptional political career. They showed pictures of his family. Fitz was handsome, rich, and now president. Everyone thought he was a lucky man, everyone but the president.
Smiling at the podium he scanned the crowd desperately searching for a specific face. He didn't register the enthusiastic cheering of the crowd in response to his speech. He sought his Director of Communication Olivia Pope, but she had vanished before his speech.
He left the podium shocked that the crowd continued clapping after he had left the stage. He clearly had electrified the crowd.
"Mr. President everyone watching your speech witnessed history. Olivia wrote an amazing speech and you nailed it, congratulations." Cyrus patted Fitz on the back before rushing to shake hands with other members of staff.
Fitz nodded politely and shook hands with people as he scanned the room. She was not at the staff celebration party. He hoped Olivia was waiting in his office.
Fitz walked toward the Oval Office with the sound of applause ringing in his ears. He had to find Olivia. She was the architect for his speech but missed witnessing its delivery.
Fitz paused to speak with Secret Service agent Tom. "Tom have you seen Olivia, this evening?"
The Lead agent whispered into his wrist before continuing their walk, "No Sir and none of the other agents in this Wing have seen her either. Should I have them look?"
Fitz shook his head, "No she likely fell asleep before the speech." Fitz walked into his office pausing to check the velvet box in his pocket. Inside was the Grant Family ring.
For generations Grant men presented the ring to their brides. He should have offered it to Mellie, but in the end he hid the ring. Fitz always knew he didn't love Mellie, and she never loved him. Their marriage was arranged by their family's as a political merger.
Today he would give the ring the home it always deserved, the hand of Olivia Pope. She is the love of his life and his future wife. Afterward he would inform Olivia he intended to divorce Millie.
Fitz walked to his desk, distracted by a sheet of paper that hadn't been there earlier. On top of the paper was his Eisenhower flag pin. It was a gift from Olivia during his swearing in ceremony.
He lost the pin sometime over the past few days. Smiling he pinned it to his suit. He picked up the paper and began to read it. He read it twice, then a third time.
Fitz sat in his office chair suffering from shock. Olivia had resigned without so much as telling him goodbye. Why would she leave? He knew Olivia felt uncomfortable with their relationship lately but quitting without a word was inconceivable.
Fitz picked up his phone and with shaky fingers called Olivia's number; it went straight to voice mail. He tried a few more times but knew she wouldn't answer.
Olivia loved him, he was sure of it but yet she left without giving him a chance to change her mind. He sighed and poured himself a Vodka double.
Mellie smiled to herself as she dressed the next morning. She had deloused her home of a vagrant, Olivia Pope aka "The First Mistress."
When Mellie confronted her with poof of the affair Olivia was shocked into a rare silence. Millie handed her the flag pin Fitz always wore. Mellie was furious that Fitz took Olivia to see the original Constitution. The flag pin was lost during their secret trip to visit the document.
Millie smirked at Olivia, "I don't care if you put your legs in the air for Fitz, I haven't touched him in a decade nor do I want to. If you aspire to be the Presidential Mistress good luck with that. However, don't you EVER see him alone unless it is about work or sex. Presidential mistress's ride the back of the bus, not the front."
She left Olivia standing in the hall way as Mellie headed to the "State of the Union address." She had thought Olivia was too smart to become any man's "side piece." She never understood why a woman would sleep with a man who could offer her nothing. She knew a man is useless he provides social status, wealth, or power.
When she was told by staff that Olivia quit, Mellie shrugged. Olivia leaving her job was no big loss, after the election Olivia was frankly dead weight. Fitz was President he didn't need Olivia anymore, he could hire any "Fixer" in town.
Millie sighed, "Olivia could have remained Fitz's cheap tart rather than resign, I didn't t tell her to go. Never mind, Fitz will be busy visiting Congress today to push our agenda. Fitz went all these years without a mistress he can return to being a monk again."
Mellie headed toward her bedroom but stopped in shock. Their bed room was full of Secret Service agents. They were carrying Fitz to the bed. He was a mess and clearly still drunk. "I was told The President was up all night in meetings, did the meetings take place in a bar?"
None of the agents met her eye, finally Tom spoke. "The President had a bad night. I am sure with sleep he will be back to normal tomorrow. Yesterday was rather stressful for him."
The agents filed out of the room leaving Hal and Tom to guard their bedroom door.
Mellie glared at Fitz. "The nation loves you after that speech. Instead capitalizing on it, you crawled into a bottle because your whore left. "Millie stormed out and headed to her luncheon.
Fitz a few hours later woke up alone. He walked to the showers and tried to clear his head. The next day he was back to his duties as if nothing had happened.
Tom witnessed the relief among the staff the next morning Fitz was back to normal. However they didn't know him as Tom did, he could see the pain in Fitz eyes.
Tom knew that if Olivia did not return, his President would never be the same. The President's light had been taken away and Olivia was needed to bring it back.
++++ Olivia's Apartment Six months after Resigning from the White House OPA +++++
Olivia looked around her apartment with a blank expression as she contemplated how expensive it would be to get out of her lease. She found herself a few minutes later drinking green tea on her sofa unsure how she got there.
Her phone was ringing, she flinched but she didn't pick up she knew who it was. She gripped the cup tightly closing her eyes to calm her nerves. She would not cry. She was a gladiator after all.
Her dad called her his little gladiator when she lost her first swimming race. He handed her a towel and told her told her to dry her tears, cowards cry. She dried her eyes and within a month she was first in almost all her races.
Olivia did not feel like a winner ATM but a coward. Instead of telling Fitz goodbye she had scurried away while he was giving his State of the Union speech..
She thought about Millie, Cyrus, Verna, Hollis and Fitz they got what they wanted and she was left with ashes. How did her life implode around her?
Stephen watched Olivia try to rebuild her life but her old job was gone, she had resigned to work for the White House.
She also missed the chance of a romantic relationship with Stephen. He drove her last year to the airport to work for Governor Grant; he wanted to confess his love but remained silent.
Olivia did not take his attention seriously; to her Stephen was a natural flirt who had an army of women always after his phone number.
When Olivia came back to Washington she had given her heart and soul to Fitz. Stephen was shocked but instead of giving up he stayed by her side. He focused his energy instead on giving her the same unwavering support that she always provided him.
Lately Stephen had hinted that he was still interested in her but could wait until she was ready. She was not sure she wanted to move on from Fitz. They have been apart for six months but she was not sure she was over him or ever would be.
She felt warm hands pull her close. She tensed before relaxing into the embrace. Stephen's soft fingers entwined with hers running soothing circles into the palm of her hands.
She looked up into the sad but warm eyes of her best friend Stephen. "Liv I can tell you're thinking about him again. You can't have him, he was never yours. Your name is Olivia Pope. You are destined for more than being the President's concubine. You need to start living again."
Olivia squeezed his hand softly "I love him Stephen. I knew in my heart it would end this way, but when I am near him rationality becomes lost, common sense becomes an afterthought."
Olivia turned around and ruffled his coal black hair. He had been staying with her ever since she quit her job as Communications Director for the White house. She had tried to send him away but said he did not want her crying every night alone.
Stephen sighed and gave her a rueful look, "Did Millie expect you to stick around after she christened you Fitz's mistress during the State of the Union? The woman didn't know you at all."
Olive shook her head in bemusement, "Frankly I wished Mellie had yelled at me. Instead she was OK with me "servicing" the president as long as it remained in the proverbial closet. I left with the dignity I had left. This is not the way I live my life, I am not that person. "
Olivia sighed "Fitz would give me a recommendation if I asked but that means seeing him. I have this picture of myself visiting hospitals to recruit personal injury clients to pay rent."
Stephen came up behind her firmly spinning her around to face him. He used his forefinger to lift her sad eyes to his. "Liv I owe you my very life. I have money; it is yours and it's not a loan. I want us to start a business to help people like me."
Liv looked at Stephen, "Who would hire me to fix their problems, I can't fix my own?"
Stephen smiled, "Everyone knows you in this town your clients will come to you. This is Washington everyone swings axes at their coworkers back; we'll always have plenty of clients. You don't need to live in his shadow; all roads do not have to lead to Fitz."
Stephen has been bouncing Ideas of her for weeks about employment options now that she was no longer part of the Grant Administration. She was afraid to apply to a new job because their first question would be was why anyone working in the "West Wing" would leave?"
Nobody quits a job in the West Wing even if they are clutching their heart pills, yet she did it abruptly and never looked back.
She took a closer look at Stephen; his eyes were tired from lack of sleep. He had taken all his vacation days to care for her. She needed to pull herself together for both their sake's.
Liv flung her arms around his neck kissing his nose. "What do you think of the name OPA?"
Stephen swung her around the room causing her to fall into a fit of laughter; "Olivia Pope and Associates. We will do this together, over a cliff Livvie; I will always be your wing-man."
Liv smiled for the first time in days, they prepared to leave the Apartment to go office hunting. Olivia stared as her phone rung yet again with Fitz's picture and number.
She could see his smiling face as the phone rang on the table by the door. She felt Stephen touch her hand and gently tug her toward the exit. "Liv you physically left him, now do the rest."
She gave Stephen a quick smile and ignored her phone. He looked so relieved she felt guilty. In an unspoken apology she hugged her best friend as they went out the door.
Olivia would not spend her life existing for stolen moments she worked too hard to settle for a life in the shadow of the President.
+++++++++++++++++Three months later Olivia's Apartment Pizza Night +++++
Olivia stretched, before looking around the living room wondering when she fell asleep. She closed her eyes blinked, and saw the vision didn't change.
Her best friend Stephen was slumped beside her sleeping soundly. They had come home from dinner and had curled up on her sofa to watch the Kevin Spacey movie "The Usual Suspects."
Stephen had howled loudly when Liv instead insisted that Kevin's best movie was "Swimming with Sharks." After things degenerated to good natured name calling Stephen grinned at Liv and laid his head in her lap agreeing to disagree.
Last night a combination of lack of sleep and loneliness gave birth to a blur of comforting kisses. She was grateful they were both still wearing their clothes when she drifted awake.
Olivia looked at her sleeping friend in trepidation and horror. She didn't know what to say to him. "Olivia I can hear you thinking."
Olivia looked down at the still unmoving but awake Stephen. Clutching a pillow tightly to her chest she offered a weak smile, "morning Stephen."
Stephen re positioned himself so he leaned on his elbows facing her, "I was laying here thinking lf Olivia had woken first would sneak away leaving me feeling like a man whore, or proclaimed that I was world's best kisser."
Stephen kissed the palm of her hand offering her a cheeky grin, "in the unlikely event that I wasn't your best, please endeavor to lie convincingly."
Olivia smile widen and burst into laughter, trust Stephen to turn "making out" last night into PG -13 teasing. "This is not funny Stephen, I am just glad you are between girlfriends. We didn't have sex, but we did a lot more than hold hands."
Stephen shook his head and sat up in the bed tucking her in his arms, "Firstly, my well-endowed private parts got nowhere near your body. We both are fully dressed."
Turning Liv to face him Stephen held her hand, "Do I want you to consider being more than my best friend someday, yes, but I can wait until you are ready."
Stephen linked his fingers with hers. "Secondly, Fitz and Millie's marriage was on life support when you met them. She destroyed their marriage long before you arrived in their lives.
Stephen ticked one more finger; lastly, Millie refused to sleep with him for over ten years. If a man is left starving at home it's not surprising if he orders take away."
Olivia glared at his wicked grin, "So I am frozen pizza then?"
Stephen laughed refusing to let her move out of his arms, "No darling you are from the finest vintages. One I intend to sample at every opportunity in the future with your permission."
Stephen slid his finger slowly down her chest. "You are exceptional, there is nothing frozen about you." His playful eyes darkening as he gently caressed her.
Olivia relaxed into his kiss. Tomorrow was the grand opening of OPA. She knew she needed to end their kiss soon before things went too, far but that could wait.
+++++++++++++++++++++OPA+++++++++++++++++++
Liv and Stephen stood in the offices of OPA and marveled that their dream had finally happened. They both were wearing turtle necks to hide their love bites from last night's antics.
Liv shook her head readjusting her turtle neck, "Stephen it's not good advertising for a firm that deals in sex scandals to have its' two main lawyers covered in Hickeys. We need to be more careful next time."
Stephen turned around, his eyes not even slightly repentant, "So there is a next time, I knew you would be back for a second helping."
Liv rolled her eyes and finished pushing the last conference chair in place. "It is hard to believe we have two clients already, our phones have only been active for 24 hours."
Stephen placed on the table charts of their two clients. "Everyone in politics credits you with the Grant campaign. As you always say, success is what you know; who you know, and where your located. You tick all three boxes."
Liv shook her head uncomfortable when praised by anyone. She told Stephen about Defiance and he still insisted that her hard work is 50% of the reason Fitz is in the White House.
She didn't feel the same; the weight of Defiance Country will be her mill stone forever.
Stephen gave her an encouraging smile, "American has Fifty States you didn't fix them all. Channel that guilt into the business; there are people in this town who need you my adorable special gladiator."
Olivia blushed and opened the folders scattered on the table. She told Stephen everything that happened last year. She told him about her affair with Fits, to helping to rig the presidential election. It shamed her that rather than horrify Stephen, he offered her acceptance and his unwavering devotion.
Liv picked up the first folder; it contained information about Congressional aid William Templeton. "He woke up after a night of coked up debauchery with a naked stranger. He wanted to make sure the girl didn't make him the lead story on the 6 o'clock news."
Sighing she glared at the file as if it was poison, "You would think a man who campaigned on family values would have some. He wants me to discredit her rather than just buy her silence."
Stephan slide Liv the next case. "Michael Zampora a former quality tester for defense contractor Dymax. He blew the whistle on his employer two years ago. They recently fired him claiming poor work performance. He believes they knew he was the mole that leaked reports to the media, and waited to get rid of him. "
They watched the video Michael leaked to the media demonstrating the poor quality of Dymax products. The video ran like a blooper reel of bullet proof vests that barely worked to mini drones that dropped out of the sky when a cable TV dish was pointed the wrong way.
They fell into a fit of laughter when they saw the crash test dummy riddled with bullets inside Dymax bullet proof military Jeep. "Stephen I don't know if I should laugh or cry. How do places like this even keep their doors open, these guys must have some serious political juice."
Stephen shook his head unable to believe that Dymax would think quality this bad would escape the notice of their testers or that they could bribe everyone into silence. "After this tape was the lead story on "60 Minutes" Dymax political capital went out the window."
Olivia reached for the Michael's file tapping it with her finger, "This is our first case, it's who we are and want to be as a firm."
Stephen picked up the file and placed Michael's picture on their client board as he started making notes under Michael's name. Liv picked up the phone; she made a few calls to set things in motion. She knew in her gut Michael was being railroaded and her gut is never wrong.
++++++++++++The White House Beer Goggles ++++++++++
Fitz stared at the Television with unwavering attention. Even Cyrus ranting was lost in his tunnel vision. After weeks of silence, and unanswered calls, he finally saw Olivia again.
Olivia was on the news discussing Dymax Corporation. Fitz knew they were a defense contractor that was reduced to making custom camping vans after a scandal under the previous president.
He didn't know what that had to do with Olivia nor did he care, he was too busy watching her every move slightly off camera.
Ever since she resigned and refused to talk to him he quickly sank into a deep depression. Nobody found him sitting on the floor clutching a gun, or a belt around his neck in the oval office. But everyone saw it, the light in his eyes was gone and few knew why.
Lauren was in the Oval office discussing Fitz's upcoming London trip. He sat slowly twirling in his hands the jewelry box he requested she find for him on inauguration day. He looked so alive then, he had winked at her saying he had a special ring to give to a special girl.
She had assumed he meant Millie until discovering that Olivia Pope had resigned in the middle of the night. The next day she found Fitz drunk at his desk clutching the box and Olivia's resignation letter. The look in his eyes scared her, it was vacant and lost.
Lauren had not seen that look since that night but here it was again and she was sure of the reason why. Olivia Pope was on the news. "Sir Hollis Doyle is on line 5." She fled watching the dark cloud circle over his head at the mention of Doyle's name.
Fitz counted to ten then picked up the phone, "Good afternoon Hollis how may I serve you."
"Cut the horse shit Fitzy. Why is your Communications Secretary riding around like a Valkyrie on the news? I just got my ear chewed by the head of Dymax. In case you forgot they're one of the companies whose pockets you picked to rent that chair you're sitting in."
Hollis only became louder when Fitz didn't respond. You need to tell her to find another cause; surely there are some fly covered natives she can chair a benefit for instead of this vendetta."
Fitz tried to hold back his distaste for the man, "She doesn't work here anymore and I have zero say in what clients she chose to represent. I'll ignore the rest of that disgusting sentence."
Hollis bit back a few choice swear words, he didn't want Fitz to hang up on him, something Grant had a reputation for doing. "Fitz that girl would walk through hell bare foot if you asked her, so call her for the good of the party you claim to love."
Looking out the window Fitz wondered if he faked a stroke would Hollis keep taking, "Hollis what could I ask her that WONT get me impeached?. She is a private citizen no longer living in the shadow of the White House."
Hollis snorted, "Fitz this is Washington, EVERYONE lives in the shadow of the White House. I'm not asking you to float her body down the Potomac just talk to the girl, get her to play ball. Grow some balls and remember who got you there. good day Mr. President."
Fitz stared in the phone wondering what the hell just happened. Why was Hollis calling to protect a third rate defense contractor. Shrugging he returned to his Vodka.
He closed his eyes and felt so alone, he missed Liv but she ran away without him. He was already drunk by lunch time trying to numb the pain.
He saw an intern enter his office smiling at him, Amanda something. She had told him it was her birthday a few weeks ago and conned him out of a dog. It was a rescue dog from the pound so a good cause. She perched on his desk and kissed him. "Is there anything I can do for you Sir, anything at all?"
He led her by the hand into the small room off the Oval office. He brought the bottle with him. In a drunken haze he saw her again, his 'sweet baby', his Olivia. He reached for him in the dark.
Three hours later he woke up naked beside Amanda feeling horrified. He had sex with a random Intern; his father was be thrilled at the irony.
Fitz picked up his phone, "Tom I need you, please come alone." Tom walked into the room and saw them on the floor, Amanda asleep and Fitz hyperventilating from shock.
Looking over the situation Tom closed the door again, "one moment Sir."
Tom called the White House doctor to make him aware that the president would require preventive medication and health checks after a biological exposure. The doctor was wise enough to guess the rest; he had been there since Bill Clinton's era after all.
Tom dressed Fitz taking special care to make him look as normal as possible. Tom spoke into his wrist. "Lauren head to lunch please, the president will be busy for the next few hours." Once she was gone Tom left a secret surface agent at Lauren's desk to man her phone line.
Fitz tried to speak but Tom held up his hand. "Sir not now, just let me do my job." He led Fitz to the shower built near the Oval office after the Cuban missile crisis. Kennedy was so busy during the crisis he was reduced to washing daily in a sink rather than return to the residential shower.
Once Fitz was in the bathroom Tom gathered up all of Fitz's clothing and Amanda's personal belongings. He took them down to the furnace. There wouldn't be another Clinton stained dress on his watch. He watched it all turn to ashes before going back to the West Wing.
The bathroom had a small closet filled with Fitz's spare suits and underwear. Fitz stood in the shower feeling ashamed; Tom hadn't met his eyes the entire afternoon. He didn't have to say anything. He showered for an hour vigorously before stepping out to drip on the slip proof floor.
Tom helped Fitz dress in his suit and they returned his hair to a reasonable condition. Fitz eyes widened, "My Lapel pin it was with my clothes."
Tom placed the Pin, cuff links and watch in Fitz's palm." I cleaned them myself. I know how much the Pin means to your Sir. I burn everything else including all of her belongings."
Fitz closed his eyes in relief, "Thank you Tom what would I do without you."
Tom stared at Fitz, "Sir I know that Pin means everything because it's from Ms Pope. on a personal note If you were anyone else I would say call her and beg forgiveness don't risk her finding out from anyone else. However you're the president and what happened is a security threat, you can't confess to her."
Fitz slumped against the wall feeling the weight of everything, "I have no excuse other than a broken heart."
Tom touched his shoulder, "Sir I am here and I am sure she still loves you, so you are never alone. Do not give up on her, if you truly love her."
Fitz smiled at Tom, his only friend in his prison. Tom cleared his throat, 'Sir this cannot happen a second time. I will make arrangements so that you are not placed at risk again. I will vet all future interns that come near you myself. Also, all the Vodka will be removed from your office, you don't handle drinking that very well."
Tom excused himself to head back to the staff showers. He found Hal guarding the outside of the bathroom. Inside was a naked and hysterical Amanda with a female agent toweling her dry. The agent was his girlfriend and a B613 agent. He knew he could trust her discretion.
Tom could hear Amanda demanding to speak with Fitz. Tom walked in staring at a wide eyed Amanda wearing a towel.
Tom walked over to her and took her hand, "Amanda Fitz was called away while you were asleep on a political crisis. Also to protect his security we had to take your clothes and personal items. Your phone money and ID will be returned to you, everything else is gone."
Tom smiled to keep her calm, "Fitz told me to convey his sorrow at being called away but offered to send you home early in apology. We'll provide replacement clothes and compensation for your destroyed belongings. I have a surprise; Fitz sent these before heading back to work."
Tom gave Amanda a dozen roses. He didn't tell her the roses were his idea; Fitz was too busy scrubbing his skin raw in the shower to think about her. Tom sent a White House Staffer to dig up red roses from the White House Garden.
Once Tom pulled up outside Amanda's house, he returned her phone, money and identification. His B613 agents left were just leaving her apartment after a sweep. B613 also wiped her Iphone and searched all her cloud accounts deleting anything that connected her personally with the president.
Driving back to the White House Tom called the front gate and had Amanda's security clearance removed and permanently banned her from the grounds. Walking toward the Oval office he saw agent Hal. The man was loyal but Tom knew Fitz's behavior upset Hal.
Hal looked at Tom resuming his place standing outside the Oval office, "Tom this is not what I signed up for. What is it about Rhode scholars and sex Scandals? He at least loved Olivia but Amanda is a bargain basement whore, what was he thinking?"
Tom shook his head, "The only reason I'm discussing this is because we are alone. Never bring this up again. However your right, I am disappointed in him. I wish Olivia was still here. She was different. What happened today was not the same. Olivia was everything to him."
Hal sighed regretting leaking to Millie about Fitz and Olivia. Everything changed after Olivia resigned. She was not Fitz's wife but he had to admit the president was a better man with Olivia than without her. He didn't approve of their relationship but this was much worse.
Fitz tried to work but the words danced on the page until he gave up. He rubbed his eyes unable to make the horror of his actions vanish, he had cheated on Liv. Liv was the love of his life but he slept with Amanda, and it sickened him.
*++++++++++++++++++OPA++++++++++++++++++*
After working all morning on Michael's case Olivia's neck felt like she had whiplash. With a groan she stood up ignoring the question in Stephen's eyes as she paced around her office like it was a race track.
After 10 minutes Stephen slipped out a hand stopping her frantic pacing before she passed his chair again. "Liv wearing a hole into our yet to be installed carpet will not help our client. You did amazing at the press conference, it will flush out new leads, have patience trust your gut, I always have."
Olivia perched on Stephen's knee hiding her head in her hands, "I called the conference too soon. If the news conference fails to generate new leads our business will flat line. What if..."
Liv eyes shot open as warm fingers slide up her leg, "What if little green men used the Lincoln memorial as a landing strip. Calm down Olivia." He traced a path up her leg with his fingers, settling on her lower stomach. "I think my angel needs a distraction of some kind."
Olivia felt conflicted. Stephen made it clear he wanted a relationship with her, however he was happy to wait until she was ready for more. She gasped as his fingers traced the rim of her panties. He gave her neck butterfly kisses soothing her sore muscles.
She closed her eyes and decided she didn't want to be alone anymore. She adored Stephen, their friendship over the past year was amazing but did she want more, was she ready to move on? Stephen was single, her best friend and attractive, "Stephen it's so hard to think..."
She felt he left hand slide gently over her folds as his thumb traced intricate patterns on her button. She gasped as he slide two fingers inside her moist core moaning as he softly arched his fingers. She rocked against his fingers whimpering at the sensations washing over her flushed skin.
Her hand dropped to his slacks rubbing his swollen hardness straining against his zipper. She vaguely heard the sound of a zipper and his gasp as she touched him. He deepened the kisses on her neck in response to her touch.
She opened her eyes to see Stephen removing a condom from his wallet. "I'll go only as far as you wish. Simply say stop and I will. "
Visions of Fitz suddenly flooded her mind, they were no longer together but this felt like betrayal. She needed to stop before sex killed another friendship. "Stop"
Olivia jumped off his lap and backed away as Stephen scrambled to his feet, "Liv please don't run. I would never push you into anything you didn't want to do. I grabbed a Condom just in case. I was just being prepared, but you said no its ok, calm down, I understand."
Olivia started to rebutton dress, her hands flying everywhere, "Stephen me and Fitz were amazing friends and we screwed it up with sex I can't lose you too. You're all I have left in the world. "
Olivia heard the ringing of her Fitz phone. He hadn't called her in weeks. She saw Stephen's look of annoyance directed at her phone before he waved her off to answer it. He sank onto the sofa trying to slow his breathing and started fixing his clothing.
Liv ran into her private office to answer her burner phone. It was Fitz and the pain in his voice hurt her. "Liv it's me I know you won't say anything, I know we are not ... but I just need to hear you breathe. Just one minute."
Liv sat in her chair and closed her eyes, she knew something was deeply wrong with him and she didn't have the heart to turn him away, she needed a minute with him also. His call saved her from ruining another friendship, "One minute."
They listened to each other breath, suddenly Fitz started to cry," Livey I can't do this, I need you. We need to talk. I can send a car to pick you up. I want us to start over start fresh. I tried to be a better man like you wanted, but I failed. I can't be that man without you by my side. "
Olivia closed her eyes, she wanted to tell him yes, she needed him and he needed her. Nothing in the world felt right or good without him. Fitz only needed to speak and her world shifted and all that existed was him. His breathing relaxed and slowly match her own, a perfect moment.
She felt the allure of their attraction even over the phone. His every breath pulled her in but she refused to waver from her resolve. Fitz was not hers to love; he was a married man.
"Fitz I will always love you, but you have a wife and children and a country to lead. I have no viable place in your life; we have to do the right thing. The world is not orbiting just for our happiness."
She hung up the phone and felt so broken and lost. She looked up and saw Stephen standing there. She tried to speak but he held his hand giving her a lopsided grin.
"It's ok Liv you have always been honest about all of this, about how you feel about him. I keep hoping that what we had before you joined his campaign is still an option to explore. We could still be more in time but I know you are not ready. Anyway ready for lunch I got us Greek Gyros."
Liv smiled weakly at him, it was her guilty secret that she loved Geek Kebabs and only Stephen knew it. "Bribing me with Lamb you monster you're just trying to fatten me up so I look horrible on TV."
Stephen held up his hands in mock horror, "I would never let that happen. I enjoy picking you up without needing a back brace. It's Paleo, no bread; it's wrapped instead in grape leaves."
Liv kissed his cheek, "You think of everything my partner in crime." He saw her smile didn't reach her eyes. He wished Fitz would stop calling her, but she refused to throw away that phone. Olivia deserved so much better than being groped in closets by a married man.
Stephen bent low offering a courtly one armed bow, "For my Lady I am to please." It earned him a genuine smile and he was grateful.
Stephen and Liv curled up on the sofa to finish their lunch. He knew something horrible happened on the phone so spent the rest of the day making her laugh. He wished Cyrus had never called Liv to help with the campaign; it was cursed ground for everyone involved, and the pain never stopped.