Broken bottles in the hotel lobby
Seems to me like I'm just scared of never feeling it again
I know it's crazy to believe in silly things
But it's not that easy.

Mellie was on her fifth drink of the night, oh hang on it was probably more like her sixth, but she shrugged because the first drink never really counts anyway, she sighed at the thought, smirking slightly as she stared out into the distance. It was almost midnight and she was seated on the Truman balcony, staring up into the dark sky as she hazily attempted to count the stars.
The looming darkness was almost like an ironic metaphor for the emptiness in her heart, the numbness of her soul and the pain in her eyes. She also noticed how there were fewer stars out in the sky than there had been on previous nights, 'kind of like the lack of light in my life' she had remarked, of course only to herself as she sipped on the intoxicating liquid, swirling it around the glass with every pause.

"Mellie", Fitz appeared, his robe was wrapped around his muscular form loosely and his eyes were squinting slightly. He walked over to her, removed the glass from her hand and placed a tender kiss against her cheek.
"It's late", was all he could muster, his eyes had a hint of genuine kindness, a look that Mellie never got tired of seeing. She nodded in response, took one last look of the familiar surroundings and flashed a heavy smile to her husband as she followed him back inside.
Not a single word was spoken between them as they walked over to the bed that they were supposed to share, of course sleeping together was always a hit and miss topic, even after twenty years, sleeping together; even in the most innocent sense of the phrase was a foreign concept and would only really be initiated on late nights like this.
Fitz was first to lift up the large duvet, he slipped beneath the layers and patted the bed, urging Mellie to lay beside him. His gesture puzzled Mellie, he was never usually the one to be affectionate when it came to her, but she obliged as she joined him beneath the covers, resting her head on his defined chest, whilst subconsciously allowing tears to fall, dampening his pyjama shirt slightly with every sniffle.

Fitz could tell by her silence that something was bothering her, he knew that Mellie didn't always need a valid excuse to drink, but there was definitely something in her eyes that gave her away. He could see a hint of something, very faint but heavily evident. Instead of pushing her to talk about it, he just held her, knowing that when the time was right, perhaps she would confide in him, well at least that's what he was hoping for.
"It's going to be okay, whatever is it… it's going to be just fine. I promise", he whispered, running his hand gently through her wavy, brunette locks. She smiled at the feel of his touch, he had a way of making everything feel that little bit better, just by allowing her to be close to him in this way and by hearing his steady heartbeat with every breath was exactly the comfort that she had been so desperately yearning for, in this moment; she was safe.

"I've screwed up. Big time, I can't really go back from this, if this is even a thing. I'm starting to really panic though, I mean every day is just a day closer to the truth", she explained, her words were very vague and Fitz was extremely confused by what she was saying, but continued to listen intently.
"I'm late", her voice broke slightly with the revelation, the two words were almost inaudible as she turned away from him, not wanting to see the anger and disappointment in his eyes. She expected him to push her away, to increase the distance between them or to just blatantly storm off, but nothing happened. They stayed there, still wrapped up within each other's embrace for what felt like hours before he responded.
"You don't have to go through this alone, whatever happens Mells, whatever the outcome is or whatever it isn't- we're partners remember? I have your back, I've screwed up so many times before, I'm not going to let you down again", Fitz assured, he carefully slipped out of the bed, making sure not to knock her in the process, he helped to prop her up slightly, using several pillows, he gave her drunken body some support before walking towards the door.

"I'm going to get you some water okay? Then I want you to get some sleep and I'll have Abby pick you up a test tomorrow. I trust her the most and for obvious reasons, it wouldn't be fair for me to ask Liv. I know Abby will be discrete about it and she's very fond of you Mellie, she'll be there for you, she's very loyal to us, which is definitely something we need, especially with regards to what we're dealing with. We don't have to tell anyone else, at least not until we're certain that there's something to tell," Fitz explained, he left the room and returned minutes later with a pint of water, a bucket and a damp flannel.
With one swift movement, he placed the water on the bedside table, slipped the bucket beneath their bed as he reached out and placed the flannel on Mellie's forehead, soothing the throbbing ache that was forming, evidently present from a combination of the consummation of alcohol and the many worries and fears that the First Lady was experiencing, due to her current predicament.

"Goodnight."

And in my dreams, I meet the ghosts of all the people who have come and gone
Memories, they seem to show up so quick but they leave you far too soon
Naïve I was just staring at the barrel of a gun