Chapter 4
Cyrus pounded the asphalt with the fastest pace he could muster without his legs buckling. They've found Olivia and she was back in her office. Tom informed Cyrus that she was meeting with Mellie but that she indeed was alive, fine and at work. Cyrus rushed to tell Fitz the news. He did not know if Fitz wanted to see Olivia but he certainly did want to tell him she's returned from her hiding place. Cyrus cursed the extra twenty-five pounds he'd gained since being married and promptly blamed it on James lack of being able to cook. "How are you going to ask me for a baby if you don't even bother to cook for me? Ugh!" He finally made it down the last flight of stairs and headed for the last corridor on the left to Fitz's holding cell.
"I've found her sir. She's back. She was just on vacation in Sicily. She's back though and…" Cyrus paused to make sure Fitz had heard him and that he was wanting to know what came after the and in his last sentence.
"And? Go on." Fitz rushed over to the cell door as the guard was opening the door to let Cyrus in for a visit.
"And sir, she's meeting with Mellie. Mellie got to her first sir. I'm sorry."
Fitz put his hand in his pocket, walked over to the small bench that was closest to the window and sat down to look out the window. She got to her first. Mellie. I thought it was bad enough that she had my secret dangling over my head to cause me to stop seeing Olivia but this…this takes the cake. She's probably taking her side anyway.
Fitz finally spoke up. "They sure do make a formidable team don't they Cy? When those two ladies get together, the world is theirs. There is nothing they can't do and they know it. Including make the leader of the free world suffer behind bars. So what do we do now? What happens now, Cy? Perhaps, I shouldn't rush it since my life is over anyway."
Cyrus hated when Fitz sounded defeated. He hated the extra work of believing things will be better for the both of them. While it wouldn't be difficult, he had to convince Fitz all would work out in time. That he'll be President again and that life will go on if not the same, better than it was.
"Sir, if you want, I could call to see if Olivia wants to see you. I'm sure she'd want to see you, to make sure you're ok. I don't know what happened between you two but one thing I know for certain is that she loves you. Always has and I doubt it has changed since you stopped seeing each other. Would you like me to call her for you?"
Fitz nodded his approval but before Cyrus could call the guard to let him out to make a call, several footsteps headed their way. Fitz stood up, walked next to Cyrus and faced the cell door patiently awaiting the visitors.
It took all the strength in the world to maintain her composure as her foot hit the bottom floor after that last step. She sensed his presence and instantly felt the tears pressing against her bottom eye lid as she approached the holding cell. I'm here to hear his side of the incident. I'm here to get my questions answered and to get more details. That is it. That is all. Nothing more can happen. Suck it up Olivia. It is time to be tough as nails and put on that gladiator suit to head into battle. It is go time. But even her pep talk to herself could not prepare her enough for the sight she was to behold in the next few steps. She fell to the back of her group so she could grab some air and more composure the last possible minute before they reached him.
David, Abby and Harrison reached the doors first, then Quinn and Huck. David extended his hand to both Cyrus and Fitz while introducing all the members of the team. Fitz shook everyone's hand but paid attention to the door the entire time. He knew she was there. He felt her presence. She felt small, confused and lost but her presence was there nonetheless. He needed to see her. It was only then he could feel that things would be fine. Finally, after seeming like forever, she emerged from the door, head held high in true Olivia Pope style. Walking in composed and ready to take the lead was what attracted Fitz to her in the first place. He could not get over the power this tiny woman had and was instantly drawn, quartered and captured by it. It is this power she had at this very moment and he wanted more than anything to scoop her up and hold her. But he knew better and just watched her come in rather than act on impulse.
Olivia couldn't look at Fitz directly yet. She placed her concentration on Cyrus and left it there. She was determined to leave it there until it happened. The moment she dreaded. The moment she heard Fitz's voice she knew she'd lose everything she's built up against it.
"Olivia. Livvie, I did not do it. I swear. I did not do it. I know what it looks like but I swear I did not do it. You've got to believe me. Say you believe me. Say you believe me Livvie."
The moment she heard her name, she turned her gaze to Fitz and the sight she beheld was more than she could bear. His normally gray-blue eyes were now bloodshot and highlighted by the red eyelids that surrounded them, one of which was covered in a bruise as if a black eye was in his future. His hair was all over the place and his face was scratched in several places. His forearm showed spots where blood was cleaned from him and hands had patches where skin was missing clearly showing that he had been in a fight. He looked miserable but with hope and she guessed it was because of her presence. She did everything she could not to run over to him and hold him as they both witnessed each other's tears fall from their eyes. She prayed with all her might that whatever force it was that tied her to the chair in which she sat kept her there until it was time to go. That was such a horrible phrase – time to go. She never wanted to leave him and in her spirit, she never left his side. She was always waiting for him, watching for him and the minute she stopped, life for everyone changed in an instant. She chided herself for foregoing the watch just because Mellie held her secret. Mellie now has a secret of her own, although she doubted Fitz would even care. But Olivia cared. The child no longer has a father and Fitz may be to blame for it.
Fitz sat there with tears in his eyes staring at Olivia. She was his light at the end of the tunnel. She was his rainbow in the sky. His Olivia was his salvation. Even if this meant the end for them to be together physically, he knew she was there for him and that meant everything to him. Olivia was the first to break the stare. It was for the best. She was there on business, not pleasure. And how could she think of pleasure at a time like this? Her love was sitting facing her in a jail cell fearing for his life because of some papers he found.
"Fitz", Olivia's voice-cracked whisper was the first sound heard in the room. She cleared her throat and tried again to sound more professional. "Mr. President, I've learned that you've been charged with murder and domestic violence. Would you mind telling me your side of the story?"
Fitz blinked back the tears in his eyes, straightened his posture and looked at Olivia. He realized she was trying to be professional so he tried to match her behavior, not knowing whether it worked or not. Frankly, he did not care but he did give the effort.
"Olivia, could we speak about this in private? There are things I need to tell you and I'm sure there are things you need to say to me."
The baritone in his voice suddenly lowered to bass in that last sentence and she immediately knew exactly what he meant by it. Olivia nodded at his request and asked her staff and Cyrus to leave the room. As the last person left the room, Fitz made his way back to the small window, leaving his back turned towards Olivia.
"I know you did not expect to come back to me looking like this or for this matter. Honestly, I don't even know how I went from being in Heaven with you to this hell on earth and I'm definitely not sure if I even want to know. All I know is one minute I'm ready to leave my wife for you and the next minute, in the middle of a very important speech in front of the Senate no less, I learned you're married. YOU ARE MARRIED TOO. All this time I thought I was the unfaithful one. That my need for you would be my downfall but…but to learn you were married too and to Edison Davis of ALL people?"
Fitz spun around to her, paused to breathe and closed his eyes to calm down. He loved Olivia more than anything he could even fathom or dream. However, he could not understand why she kept it from him. Fitz was hurt again by the woman he loved and yet again, the fact that he needed her consumed him more than the pain. So he stood, facing her, broken.
"Fitz, I made a mistake. I should have told you and you are right to be upset with me. But what you should know is that we were legally separated for the last three years. When I met you, I…I couldn't be with him anymore after knowing you. You changed me. I couldn't go back to being the same person I was before you – the wife of a Senator who hid it from everyone just so she could continue her career. I did not think…I just knew being his wife and having his babies wasn't the life I wanted. I wanted more, I needed more and I…when I met you, I saw all the more I needed and wanted. But why would learning of my marriage make you this irate? You're being accused of murder and domestic violence and I…"
"You're doing it again. You're trying to handle me. You're trying to fix me again. I need you to listen to me, not fix me. So listen. Mellie attended the senate meeting, sat in your chair. All I could think about is why was she there? Next thing I know, she was smiling and motioning for me to look down and when I did, I saw a picture of you smiling in the arms of Edison Davis and then a copy of your marriage license. I did not know you have been married for at least the last five years. I was outraged but I was also…I was also happy. I was happy because you chose me over him. That you wanted me over the last decade he has been in your life. I was ecstatic because although he legally was bound to you, you gave yourself to me freely. You wanted me as much as I wanted you and that was proof. What was sent to condemn you was the very thing that liberated you in my mind. I've always wanted to know what you had to sacrifice for me and I saw it. You sacrificed your marriage and Edison's career for me. You sacrificed your own career for me. And it was that moment that made the difference. That's why I paused. Then I heard Mellie's laughter. I thought she did this which made me think you came for me – that you broke the contract because you wanted me. So when I went back to the Oval, I began to write out my speech to the American public about my divorce. I then called Lou Hernitz, my private attorney, about proceeding with the divorce and what should be my next step. Just then, I had a celebratory glass of scotch and was getting ready to call Natalie so she could get Tom and Hal to get ready so I could come see you. I wanted to be with you.
"Just then I had a knock on the door. I said "come in" and there stood Edison Davis. I wondered why he was there, so I invited him in the Oval to talk. He wanted to make sure I was ok and that nothing was wrong with me. I let him know that I was ok and then I said, "I did not know you and Olivia was married. She sure can keep a secret." I suppose that was the wrong time but it was the thing that was on my mind. I remember he asked me how did I found out and that was when Mellie came in. She asked what he was doing here. I said, "Mellie, we're talking. Did you need something?" She ignored me and moved closer to him. She asked him, "What are you doing here? Were you telling him about us? I thought we were going to do this together. You said we were in this together and now you're in here telling him about us without me? Unbelievable!" I was dumbfounded. I was confused. I need an explanation so I asked. "What are you saying, Mellie? Have you and Senator Davis…have you been having an affair with Senator Davis?" I remember her laughing at me. How does it feel Fitz? How does it feel to have someone cheating on you for a change? How does it feel to watch your wife be with your number one political enemy? How does it feel to know she's carrying his child? HOW. DOES. IT. FEEL., FITZ? HOW DOES IT FEEL?!" I remember laughing at her. Outright, full on, unabashed laughter and feeling it was perfect. Everything was perfect. I poured myself another scotch and asked Edison if he wanted one. That's when she went off. I mean she went completely off. I've never seen this side of her before. She locked the door, smacked the glass of scotch out of Edison's hand and dug her finger into his chest. "Who are you right now? Who are you? I don't understand why you are in his office; drinking his scotch like you two are old buddies? I don't get it. Is he charming you too?" I did not bother to listen because it was between those two. I walked back over to my desk to continue writing my speech so I did not hear everything. I did hear Edison tell her to back away from him and to stop hitting him. I guess she did not or she did not move in time because he hit her. I jumped up to get him to stop but he wouldn't. He kept mumbling that she wouldn't mess things up for him – that she was a mistake and that he was getting married to a lady named Janine. She was to be the mother of his children, not some woman who couldn't get her husband to stay faithful to her. He said he was sorry and that if it is proven to be his through DNA test, he will relinquish all parental rights to it. He was going to walk away but she… I can't remember. I can't remember anything after that which is odd because things were perfectly clear beforehand."
Fitz shook his head as if his memory could return with each shake but nothing returned. He chided himself on the memory loss but realized it probably came from the assassination attempt. After all, the doctor did say he could have some memory loss. Knowing that he was being hard on himself for his memory loss, Olivia slowly walked to him to touch him. She did not know how he'd respond but she needed to touch him. He took her hand, entwined their fingers and kissed the back of her hand.
"I believe you Fitz. I trust your memory. I'm sorry you had to find out about me and Edison this way but trust me, the photo you saw, the one of me hugging Edison with papers in my hand was of me giving him signed divorced papers. I left for Sicily right after that. I couldn't see you because of Mellie's blackmail and so I left. It hurt me getting on that plane, it hurt every second, every minute, every day, and every week I was in Italy and away from you because I wanted to run to you. I just couldn't be the reason why your entire life in the public eye is a failure. Truth is, I did not want to be someone you resented because you gave me your heart and I broke it again."
Just as he turned around to look Olivia in the face, there was a small knock on the door. Cyrus entered with Fitz's private attorney Louis Hernitz, another lady and Mellie. Olivia quickly released Fitz's hand and moved over towards the table in the center of the room.
Lou began to speak, "Mr. President, I know this is not the best time to discuss matters but the First Lady has begun a series of petitions to the court and thought it best to discuss things with you before proceeding."
"Mellie, you always had a thing for improper timing. What is it that you want now?" Fitz said, shortening the angry tone that was presenting itself.
Lou responded to Fitz, "Mr. President, because of the difficulty of the situation between you and Mrs. Grant, I strongly advise you to talk to me instead of directly to Mrs. Grant. To answer your question, Mrs. Grant wants ten million dollars, five of which is money and the other five is in assets. She also wants your full cooperation in her run for candidacy by not running for your second term. She wants the team that propelled you to your win to be the team she has, all of them. Finally, she wants full custody of the children without any interaction with you until they are eighteen. She only wants financial support which is to be mandated by the court. She wants no interaction with you. No weekends, no summers, nothing. Oh, one more thing. She wants on your next public address to publicly admit your affair with Olivia Pope, the divorce and that you will no longer seek a second term and to have those who support your re-election to throw their support behind her." Fitz stared Mellie down as Lou spoke her terms. He knew she was giving him a clear out, a very damaging out because he loved his children but it was wonderful knowing she was giving him a cleaner slate for him and Olivia to finally be together the way they wanted. In a way, he was grateful and in other ways, he was mystified that she even wanted to give him this opportunity.
"Lou, please ask Mellie why she does not want me to have interaction with the children?"
Before Lou could ask her, Mellie finally met his gaze and spoke in a low but clear tone, "Because none of the children are yours anyway."
