"Fire her." Mellie says while walking into Cyrus's office. He's sitting behind his desk typing on the computer when she walks in.

"Ah, she's great, right? A pistol. Lives for her work, a political nun, best student I ever had."

"Fire her."

"Because she said what every staffer on your husband's campaign was afraid to say?" Cyrus responds while looking away from the computer screen in front of him.

"Just get rid of her." Mellie turns around to exit the office, only to see Olivia standing in the doorway.

"I'll charge my hotel room to the campaign. Don't worry. I haven't had a chance to raid the hotel minibar. Best of luck, Mrs. Grant."

Before Mellie can open her mouth to say anything, the other woman turns on her heels and leaves.

Cyrus gets up from behind his desk and makes his way over to Mellie.

"Let's be clear about something. I run a sausage factory and you're unemployed. Or have you forgotten that? You gave up your career for this, remember? You had kids for this. And I don't mean "this" as in for Fitz to be Governor. I mean "this" so that he can be president and we need her if he's going to be president."

"We can find someone else, Cyrus."

Cyrus let's out a genuine laugh before responding. "Fitz is handsome. I can admit that. He's charming too. And smart. Almost as smart as you."

Mellie lets out a scoff at Cyrus's last statement.

"Those are all great qualities but I can't make a president out of just that. I need help and Olivia Pope is exactly the help I need. So, you go and make nice with her or I'll have to tell your husband that you cost him the election."

Mellie manages to chase Olivia down.

"Ms. Pope? Ms. Pope. Wait. I apologize for firing you."

"Why?"

"Why do I apologize?"

"Why did you fire me? I had a job, a paying job, from which I took a leave of absence to do a favor for my friend Cyrus because I am good. I am brilliant. You would be lucky to have me. Just because you don't like hearing the truth about yourself or-"

"I love hearing what you have to say. I agree with every word and you're right. I would be lucky to have you."

There's a long pause. It's completely silent but so much is said. It's stupid really. Mellie just met this woman but she can already tell. Olivia would be a problem. A distraction. And a distraction is the last thing Mellie needed during this campaign. Cyrus was right. Mellie had given up her career for this. Had graduated top of her class. She'd had kids for this and she wasn't going to let some dumb crush get in the way of Fitz getting in the White House.

Mellie let's out a deep sigh and takes a step back before saying anything. "Look-"

"This is why you fired me."

"Can we just go back in there and work?" Mellie asks while hoping Olivia would drop the topic.

"Okay."

Olivia didn't have time for a crush either. She had an election to win.

Olivia had advised Mellie and Fitz to take a couple days off of the political campaign to work on their relationship much to their dismay. Once the couple had stopped screaming at each other, they realized that this was what was best for them.

It took a couple of events but their numbers actually started to go up in the polls. They hold hands and share kisses in between interviews. They start to look like a real married couple.

"Fitz says that you're not voting for him." Mellie says while sitting down across from Olivia.

She's sitting in a room alone reading, when Mellie approaches her.

Olivia lets out a low chuckle before looking over at Mellie. "He told you that?"

"Yeah. I think it hurt his ego." Mellie looks down at the stack of papers in Olivia's lap before speaking again. "What are you working on?"

"Research. I eat, sleep, and breathe Fitzgerald Grant. I swear it would make my job a lot easier if you were running for the republican ticket."

"If two women were running for the ticket then it wouldn't be about politics. It'd be about fashion. Who wore it best, who's hair looked better, or who looked sexier?"

"Well you'd win obviously. You've got better legs than Sally."

If Olivia weren't looking down at the papers in her hands, she'd notice the light blush on Mellie's face.

"You should take a break. Come get a drink with me." This is a bad idea. Mellie knows it. But she's bored.

Olivia looks up from her work and over to Mellie again. And this time she really looks at her. She's dressed down. Mellie and Fitz had no events scheduled for the day so her stylist didn't dress her. This is the first time Olivia's seen Mellie like this. She has on dark denim jeans and a red Harvard t-shirt that looks like it's been washed a hundred times. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun and her face is almost completely free of makeup. Olivia decides that she likes this look on Mellie.

"One drink and then I have to get back to work."

"Ok. One drink."

Olivia ends up on her third glass of wine.

"You and Fitz are looking a lot better. Glad you two are working things out." Olivia says while sitting across from Mellie in a booth in the back corner of a bar. She wore a "Grant for the people" t-shirt and a pair of denim jeans.

"I think you're underestimating how good of a politician my husband is."

Olivia takes a sip of her wine before saying anything. "Why'd you marry him?"

The question throws Mellie off-guard. They had been making small talk all night.

"I'm sorry. That's a very personal question. Forget I asked it."

"No. It's a good question. Fitz and I weren't always like this. We used to be in love. We were happy for a while and then he decided that he wanted to run for governor and then president. I gave up everything for him and I always kind of resented him for it. We began to talk less and less and then when we did talk to each other it turned into an argument. Then there was the affair. He told you about that right?"

"He did." Olivia had asked Fitz to meet her earlier that week so that he could tell her all of his dirty little secrets. One of which was about an affair he had with one of his kid's teachers. "I handled it. Won't come up during the trail."

"Good."

"You don't have any secrets that I should know about do you?"

"No."

"So there won't be any men coming out of the woodworks saying that they've slept with you?"

"No."

"What about women?"

Mellie actually chokes on her beer at the question.

"You're not subtle. You're constantly checking me out."

"I wouldn't say constantly." Mellie responds while whipping up the spilt beer.

"So no women?"

"There was one in college before I met Fitz but you don't have to worry about her. She's in politics too and there aren't any pictures of us."

"Well I'm sure you won't mind my team confirming that then. I'm going to need her name."

"Elizabeth North."

Olivia makes a face as if she's surprised but also impressed. "Really?"

"It lasted for like a month maybe and it didn't end badly." Mellie takes another sip of her beer before speaking again. "What about you? Are you dating anyone?"

"I- kind of. It's new. We've been on one date. Wasn't that great. He's been nagging me for a second chance."

"You don't strike me as the type to give second chances."

"I'm not."

Their waitress comes over and offers Olivia a refill and she politely declines.

"I've had three classes already. I'll be officially drunk if I have another class and we haven't been friends long enough for me to let you see me drunk."

"We're friends?" Mellie asks while sitting back in her seat.

"I think so. I don't have many friends. Not sure how this works. All of my friends are on my payroll."

Mellie let's out a low chuckle before speaking again. "We're friends, Olivia."