AN – This is a one shot based on the S5 E4 promo. I find the direction of the show disheartening for the fans that worked so hard to put the series on the air. I feel the writers have lost their way and have lost sight of what made people tune in each week to watch the show. The constant denigration of Olivia Pope is appalling and disturbing given the producer of the show. I recognize it is fiction, no one is disputing that fact, but given the initial premise of the show, reverting to typical negative Hollywood stereotypes is insulting and a betrayal.
Fair Weather Gladiator
Fitz enters Elizabeth's office and tosses a newspaper on her desk. "Have you seen this garbage? Morning shows are giving estimates on the number of men she slept with and at what age she lost her virginity. It's disgusting."
Abby comes bounding into Elizabeth's office, portfolio in hand. The second she sees the president she tries to shirk away undetected. Fitz turns in time to see her try to escape. "You are fired", he says.
"Mr. President", Abby says timidly.
"Do not talk. You are done talking. You are fired." Fitz is pissed and Abby cannot blame him. She leaves Elizabeth's office without saying another word. Elizabeth looks away grinning from ear to ear. Two down one more to go she thinks.
Abby returns to her office and starts boxing up her belongings. Where did she go wrong, she ponders? Olivia told her to throw her under the bus. She just did what any gladiator would have done given the circumstances. Why should she lose her job over a professional decision? She needs to talk to the president. He is acting irrationally. Cyrus is right, he needs to be treated like a child for his own good. She starts removing her stuff from the box. She is not going anywhere.
An hour later Abby goes to the Oval to see the President. "Charlotte is he in? Is he alone?"
Charlotte looks up from a stack of documents she is preparing for the president's signature. "Yes he is but I don't think you want to go in there right now," Charlotte warns.
"I have to. I need to help him understand the importance of this media strategy and how it protects the integrity of this office."
"Enter at your own risk. And Ms. Whelan, for the record I do not agree with what you did. I know it is not place to comment but what you did was wrong. You set women back 30 years with your little press conference. You were flippant, condescending and insulting. You appeared gleeful destroying Ms. Pope's reputation. I thought Olivia was your friend. What you did is tantamount to a bottom-feeding defense lawyer blaming the victim in a rape case. You humiliated Ms. Pope before the world and for what. Shame on you Ms. Whelan, shame on you." Charlotte puts her head down and resumes going over the stack of documents.
Abby opened her mouth to refute Charlotte's assessment but the words never came. She stares at Charlotte wounded by the secretary's words. Is it true, had she taken pleasure in throwing Olivia to the wolves? She shakes off the thought and proceeds to the Oval. She enters the President's office. Fitz is seating at his desk reading documents and taping his pen on the desk blotter. "Mr. President may I have a word with you?"
"Gabby why are you still here? Do I need to have the secret service escort you off the premises?"
"Sir, please, this will only take a few minutes. I need to explain the benefit of this media strategy."
"Benefit? Did you seriously just say benefit? Oh, this should be good. Please, by all means, have a seat. State you case." Fitz looks at Abby with disdain. He comes from behind the resolute desk, sits on the couch and puts his feet up on the coffee table. He motions to Abby to take a seat on the opposite couch.
"Thank you sir. First, let me say I had no idea the media would be this vicious in attacking Olivia. I thought they would treat the admission along the same lines as the Janine episode. The goal here was to deflect attention away from you and unto to Olivia. You, for lack of a better word, should be seen as the victim here. The next man in a series of carefully planned seductions aimed at securing access to the holders of political power. Olivia was supposed to look like a smart businessperson who manipulates men of power to use for needs of her clients. It was suppose to look like a business arrangement not whoredom. I am so sorry my calculated risk went awry." Abby looks at Fitz remorsefully. He in turn stares at her for what seems like a good ten minutes.
"So let me get this straight. Your brilliant plan was to paint Olivia as an opportunistic seductress who slept with powerful men in order to amass power and use that power for the benefit of her clients. Do I have it right," Fitz asks incredulously.
"Mr. President when you say it like that I can understand your irritation at how things are playing out."
"Really, you understand my irritation? You know what I find incredible Gabby, is not once since you came in here have you asked about Olivia and shown any concern for her wellbeing. I question whether you were ever her friend. Are you jealous of her Abby? Did the green-eyed monster sit on your shoulder and whisper media optics to you?"
"Sir, of course I'm concerned about Olivia. She is a dear friend. I am one of her original gladiators."
"Uhm, have you called her Gabby? Have you gone to see her? When is the last time you spoke with her? Do you even care how she is doing?"
"Sir, I have been busy dealing with this crisis. I plan to speak with Olivia today, tomorrow at the latest."
"With friends like you, why does Olivia need enemies? After all she has done for you, the fact that you could so quickly believe the fiction contained in that kill file is unbelievable. I guess it's true, birds of a feather." Fitz shakes his head in frustration.
"Sir? I'm sorry, am I missing something? What are you implying?"
"I am not implying anything I am stating the facts. The fact that you have the audacity to come in my office and present Cyrus' ideas as your own in pathetic and makes me question why you were ever given the Communications Director position in the first place. Oh yeah, it was as a favor to Olivia. Did you know that? Did you really think your resume got you through the door? Did you forget the reason why you were at the White House in the first place? It was because Olivia Pope was running my re-election campaign. I guess Cyrus knew once you were out from under the OPA umbrella you could be easily manipulated. You are a sycophant and you don't realize it.
Cyrus is an opportunistic political parasite and you are just like him. You are his true protégé not Olivia. The minute Olivia began to think differently from Cyrus she became his enemy. Apparently, the same goes for you. And don't think I don't know about Cyrus' undying belief that I am a child that needs stern handling. My god, who do you two think you are? Who died and put you in charge?"
"Sir, yes I may have listened to Cyrus on occasion but my intent has always been to serve in the best interests of this administration. I had no idea that some of the information in that file was fabricated. If I had known, I would have never said those things to the press corps."
"There in lies the problem Gabby. What was the rush? Why not take a moment to confirm the accuracy of the information. You knew the file had been compiled by Cyrus, that only should have been enough to give you pause. No, you wanted prove you were the better fixer. You wanted to outdo your teacher. It didn't matter if she got hurt, humiliated or destroyed in the process. The fact that you got the better of the great Olivia Pope was what was important to you. Do not stand here and lie to me about doing what was in the best interest of this administration because you did what was in the best interest of Gabby. So please, get out before I personally throw you out myself." Abby browbeaten and embarrassed, stands up, smoothes out her skirt, nods to Fitz and heads toward the door.
"Oh, wait Gabby I do want to thank you for one thing you did and that's for contacting Stephen and helping to rescue Olivia. I don't know what happen to make you turn from that faithful friend into Cyrus' bitch-baby but I hope you can find your way back to being a true gladiator." Abby nods again and leaves.
Abby goes back to her office and starts to repack her belongings. Tears begin to stream down her face. How could she have done this terrible thing to Olivia? Sure Olivia offered herself as the sacrificial lamb but Abby should have had her back. She should have minimized the fallout from the kill folder. She should have done more to protect her friend.
"Hey, how did it go? Oh, I see, you are still packing. He didn't change his mind? Elizabeth asks sauntering into Abby's office.
"No, he didn't and I understand why. He's right, I should have checked the facts in that file. I should have done more to minimize the fallout. I was hurt and embarrassed by the whole Mellie swearing in debacle and Olivia's unexpected confession. I guess I was tired of looking like the fool and wanted to take charge; all I really succeeded in doing was hurting and ruining someone I care about. Abby sighs deeply and continues to pack.
"Well I'll leave you to your packing. Best of luck to you." Elizabeth gives a fake smile and leaves.
Abby plops down in her chair. She needs to fix this or at least restore some semblance of Olivia's reputation. "I guess it's time for go over the cliff." Abby checks her hair and lipstick in the mirror behind her office door. She checks her watch. Good she still has time. She makes her way to the press corps and alerts everyone of a last minute briefing. The pressroom fills up in a matter of minutes. Given the suddenness of the announcement, the corps is eager to hear if the briefing has to do with Olivia Pope.
"First of I'd like to announce that this will be my last briefing for this administration. It has been my honor to serve President Grant and to work with all of you. That being said, I need to correct some erroneous statements and information that you received from this podium. The information on Olivia Pope's alleged liaisons with some of Washington's top political leaders was a lie. The information was unconfirmed and in the coming days the elected officials mentioned previously will confirm the falsity of the allegations. Olivia Pope is a consummate professional who happened to fall in love with the president of this great nation; plain and simple.
Hands go up everywhere. "Ms Whelan, Ms. Whelan".
"Yes, Bill, your question."
"Are you leaving because you disseminated this false information?"
"Yes."
More hands go up. "Ms. Whelan, Ms. Whelan." Abby points to a woman in the back of the room.
"Mildred, ask you question."
"Did you know the information was fake when you spoke of it the other day?" Abby remains silent for a few seconds before she answers.
"I did not take the time to verify the accuracy of the information presented."
Fitz and Elizabeth rush to the pressroom. They stand in the back of the room listening to Abby field questions.
"Ms. Whelan, Ms. Whelan." Abby points to George Lancaster of the Times.
"George, ask your question?"
"Do you think Ms. Pope will sue you and the fabricator of the misinformation?"
"God I hope not. I really have not thought about it." George sits down.
"Final question ladies and gentlemen. Stacy you have a question?"
"Have you spoken to Ms. Pope? Have you apologized?"
"Stacy, that's two questions but I'll answer both of them. No, I have not spoken with Ms. Pope and no, I have not apologized Ms. Pope. " A hush comes over the room. Abby looks down at the podium in shame, she grips the sides of the podium so hard her knuckles turn white. "I regret the humiliation I have caused Ms. Pope. I have the utmost respect and admiration for her. Putting to rest the unfounded rumors, the baseless accusations and salacious innuendo circulation in the media is the first step in me apologizing to Olivia Pope. I hope she will forgive me and I hope all of you work as tirelessly to restore her reputation as you have in destroying it." The reporters start to murmur amongst themselves. Abby steps down, exchanges a few words with Fitz and Elizabeth and leaves.
On the way back to her office, her phone rings. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and checks the caller ID - Olivia Pope.