Author's Note: Remember that time that I kept promising you an update to So Much More and you never got it? Well, there was a reason for that. I realized as I was going over the first chapter again that I was influenced too much by season six of the show, and I wrote this to ignore season six. So, I un-villainized Vanessa Moss. Please remember that I ignored the vindictiveness of her character later on and focused on the girl-next-door thing she had going on in season five. I also didn't make Mellie out to be evil, so I found it unfair to do that to Vanessa. Don't worry; Olake will make an appearance at the end, and they'll be in two of the only characters actually awake in the next chapter (that'll make sense if you read this first).
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Olivia Pope had been in this position before. She had helped to get the same man elected to office twice, and she had been caught up in the media storm that preceded the election both times. What she had forgotten was just how crazy the media storm that followed the election almost always proved to be. She remembered almost immediately after the final results were released and confirmed by every media outlet in the country, however, and her memory was proven even more correct when news of Jake's impending divorce broke the next morning. By the second day of the process that would lead to a successful transfer of power, she was physically and emotionally exhausted and about fifteen seconds away from just walking off and never returning.
The press was relentless, and they wanted answers. Many outlets had called the marriage of Jake Ballard and Vanessa Moss a little too timely when his candidacy for the vice presidency was announced weeks after their vows, and those reporters were boasting about the correctness of their assumptions. Conservative newspapers and outlets were horrified to see such a situation make its way into the White House for the second time and called upon Jake and Vanessa to solve their problems and set an example for their country and its people. The trashy magazines that always caught Olivia's eye in grocery stores pointed to numerous reasons for the divorce, and several blamed the dissolve of the marriage on numerous different women, but Olivia's name seemed to be at the forefront of all of the reports. She was once again thrust into the spotlight, and while Abby and Fitz worked tirelessly to preserve her image and Jake threatened anyone who committed acts of slander against her, there wasn't much that could be done. She was going to have to go with the flow until the storm blew past, no matter how painful it was. Then again, she wasn't even prepared for the most painful aspect of the entire experience.
It started out simple. Vanessa didn't want the house, didn't want anything that she and Jake had ever shared, and was more than eager to sign the divorce papers. It was obvious that she was as miserable as her spouse was, and her argument to the media was that she shouldn't be teaching young girls to stay in relationships they weren't committed to simply because society believed that it was the right thing to do. She gave interviews to confirm that the divorce was no one's fault and sang Jake's praises in the public eye. She continued to support Mellie and her presidential intentions, and no words of scorn were uttered to a single media outlet. That all changed behind the scenes, however. Behind the scenes, Vanessa was more vicious than anyone Olivia had ever met. And that was so strange that it was almost terrifying.
Almost two weeks passed following the election without little consequence. On the day that Vanessa was scheduled to move out of the Ballards' shared residence, however, she buried her heels in and refused to go peacefully without speaking to Olivia. That was how Olivia had found herself at the front door of the home that Jake had briefly shared with his wife despite Jake's many protests about her making the trip to meet with the woman he knew to be content with stirring up trouble. When she knocked, she was beginning to realize just why his protests might have been rational. The door opened before she could think on it much, however.
Vanessa was as beautiful as she had always been, almost classically so. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a chignon, and her makeup was impeccable. Her silk blouse and wool pants didn't have a single wrinkle, and her pumps had cost her well over a thousand dollars. She looked like the future Second Lady of the United States, a role that she would have had if not for her husband's complete disinterest in her. She also looked exhausted, and Olivia once again felt guilt take over her body.
"Olivia," the other woman greeted civilly. "Please, come in." She stepped aside so that Olivia could enter and then turned towards her with a patient smile. "I've just put on some tea. Would you like some?"
"No, thank you," Olivia replied. "I don't drink much tea."
"Right," Vanessa sighed. "Jake told me that you didn't drink any morning beverages. Neither does he. I suppose that made your mornings simpler." She shot a shaky smile at Olivia before gesturing towards the sofa. "Please, sit."
"Vanessa, why did you ask me here?" Olivia questioned, refusing to take the seat. "You said that you'd destroy Mellie and Jake if you didn't get to see me, but you never gave any reason for wanting to speak to me. If you want to tear me apart, you can do it while I'm standing. I'd actually prefer to be able to make a quick escape."
Vanessa shook her head with a soft, humorless laugh. "I asked you here so that I could try to see what he does. I wanted to know why my husband was in love with you throughout our entire marriage. But as soon as I made that call, I realized that I brought this on myself."
"Vanessa, none of what happened was your fault," Olivia stated, her eyes widening.
"We both know that's a lie, Olivia." Vanessa laughed emptily once again. "You've never seen the two of you together, I suppose, because it's impossible, but you and him… you are unstoppable. I knew that from the first moment that I saw you two together. And he talked about you like…God, Olivia, you were always at the forefront of his mind. Even when you weren't his lover, you were his best friend. And I was so jealous, so jealous that I said yes to a proposal from a man that was obviously in love with another woman. I should've said no. When he hesitated at the altar, I should've realized that I was making a mistake. But he's Jake, you know?"
"I do," Olivia agreed softly. "It's impossible not to love him. I've tried a few times in the past."
"I know. He told me." Vanessa shook her head. "It's impossible, though. Not loving him? It's impossible. He's just…he's what every woman wants and only one woman gets to have. And it was selfish of me to think that I could be that one woman. Olivia, you apologized to me once for ending my marriage, but you're not the one that should apologize. I'm so sorry that I got in the way of something as beautiful as what you and he have." She drew in a deep breath. "What you two have is what other people hunt for. As much as that pains me to say, it's true. And I really, really hope that you can see how happy you make him before you try to leave him again. Being without you destroys him, Olivia. Please remember that." Vanessa cleared her throat and smiled once again. "I think I'll gather my things and leave. The packers have come and gone already, and I believe it's time for me to catch up with them."
"Vanessa, I should be the one to leave," Olivia protested.
"No, you shouldn't." Vanessa picked up her luggage and gave Olivia one more small smile. "This was never my place; it was always yours. Welcome home, Olivia." With that, she walked through the front door and permanently out of Olivia's life with her head held high. Olivia could only look after her in shock.
It was about an hour before Jake walked through the front door, a look of concern on his face. "Hey," he greeted softly when he caught sight of her. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."
"Why did you have to marry a decent woman you didn't love?" Olivia questioned, staring blankly ahead.
"What?" Jake asked, squatting down in front of her and placing his hands on her knees as he gave her his complete attention.
"She apologized for damaging our relationship. Your wife, that I helped you cheat on, apologized for messing up the relationship that you had with me before you were with her. She's nice, Jake. We have destroyed a decent woman."
Jake sighed. "Olivia." The usage of her name was also a warning that she chose to ignore.
"I destroy decent women. That's my thing. You told me I had a type when I found out you were married before, but I also have a signature move. Mellie and Vanessa, they were both fine until I came along."
"Vanessa and I wouldn't have lasted if you weren't in the picture, Olivia. Not because I would have ended up with anyone else, mind you, because you're it for me, but she and I…" He shook his head. "We see the world very differently, and it's not in a good way. She believes everything is perfect and I believe everything is a disaster, but she's not the one that can pull me out of that hole, Olivia. You're the only one who has ever achieved that. It's one of the many, many reasons I fell in love with you." He sighed. "If Vanessa was broken, I would feel guilty about that. But neither one of us was dedicated to this. That doesn't mean marriage is wrong, that means we were wrong for each other." He cupped her face in his hands. "You're the right one for me, Olivia. You're the one I can see forever with."
"You want to know a secret?" Olivia murmured.
"What?" Jake replied just as softly.
"You're the one I can see forever with, too."
The kiss that they shared was full of happiness and promises for the future, and as Olivia was scooped off of the sofa she was seated on and twirled around the room to the sound of Jake's laughter joined with her own, she realized that this was yet another one of those things that had happened for a reason. As she was placed on her feet and led into the kitchen to dance slowly to nonexistent music, she became aware of just how right this thing was. She also promised herself that she would never forget how right it was ever again.