It had been a couple of days since Cyrus had resigned. He had started looking at his options. James was more than happy to return to work full time while Cy took some much needed time off. He was hoping that Liv would agree to meet him somewhere for a few days so they could just reconnect and he could apologise for everything he had done to hurt her. He never realised how important she was to him till it was too late. As silly as it sounded he needed the absolution.

Fitz wanted to ask Cyrus to stay but his pride would not allow him to let go of Defiance or the fact that he had always come between him and Olivia. Despite that he heard everything Cyrus had said loud and clear. Just as Liv's disappearance was sobering, Cyrus' words rang loud and true in his ear.

Exhaustedly Cyrus sat down on the park bench trying to regain his breath. He ran his fingers through his hair with a deep sigh.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Cyrus looked in shock to find Olivia sitting beside him. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Liv,"

"Cyrus,"

"I didn't want it to be what brought you back. I know what a big step it was for you to finally walk away from him and I feel like all I've done since you've come to this campaign is manipulate you and I didn't want this to be another thing that weighs in your decisions."

"You should have told me Cy."

"I'm sorry Liv. For so many things." Liv placed a hand on his and gave it a squeeze.

"I know Cy. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay." Cyrus nodded as they sat there silently side by side.

"Liv he's watching me. You being here right now. It won't take him long."

"You let me deal with that. So when do you go in?"

"Triple by pass surgery is scheduled the day after my last day in the White House."

"You didn't tell him did you?"

"I don't want his forgiveness that way Liv." Cyrus answered softly.

"I've told him I'm sorry and that's enough for me. I don't want him to forgive me because of this. Promise me you won't tell him. You won't tip him off."

"Cyrus,"

"Please Liv."

"Okay. Okay. What do you say we grab some take out and head to yours. I want to see my Godchild."

"Name your pleasure."

Olivia spent the rest of the day with Cyrus and Ella. Cyrus had called his secretary to say that he wouldn't be in for the rest of the day. They both knew it would not take long for Fitz to catch wind of her presence in DC.

Fitz had been in the situation room all afternoon. Tom reluctantly handed Fitz a folder. Fitz's heart tightened as he saw the picture of Cyrus and a young woman who was unmistakenly Olivia Pope. Despite the new haircut and wardrobe she was still his Livvie. He couldn't help but notice how much younger she looked. Even though she looked sad as she held on to Cyrus' hand there was a peace in her eyes he hadn't seen in a really long time.

"She's here?"

"She was sir. She headed to the airport about an hour ago and she managed to slip through. We've sweeped the whole airport and she's gone sir." Fitz knew there was no point in getting mad at anyone for letting her slip through. If it was anyone else he would be calling them inadequate but she was Olivia Pope and she worked with only the best. That if anyone were capable of remaining untraceable. It would be her.

"Thank you Tom. That will be all." Tom gave him a nod before closing the door behind him.

Fitz let out a deep breath and threw his head back. Though he felt like he was gaining back some ground. He had never felt so lost. Without Liv and now without Cyrus by his side he felt as though there was no one at his side who truly believed in him. In all of Cyrus' ruthlessness, he never left room for doubt that everything he did was because he believed with all his heart and all his might that there was no better person for the presidency than Fitzgerald Grant the Third. When Cyrus realised he couldn't be President he made sure he found the very person he believed was the right one and did everything in his power to ensure he stays there to make the changes he dreamed of making. Fitz had realised that Cyrus and Liv's major downfall was their blind faith in him and their determination to keep him up in the pedastal they put him on.

Fitz called out to Louise releasing her for the evening before grabbing his jacket to take a walk. It had been awhile since he had taken a stroll to through the Rose Garden. What was once his favorite place had become a painful reminder of the love he once had. The love that he tried so hard to convince himself didn't truly exist. Despite his very best efforts he could never quite believe. What they had was real. He was the one who brought doubt into the table. The look on her face forever etched in the forefront of his mind, like a constant reminder that it was he who broke them. That no amount of hurt that he felt could ever compare to what he purposefully inflicted on her. He sat on the bench looking up at the stars trying to drown in them for a moment willing for a moment's peace.

"You need to stop looking for me." A voice said softly beside him. Fitz's head turned sharply and found her sitting on the edge of the seat only a few feet away. He was about to move closer when she stopped him.

"Please don't." Her voice was even and she had yet to look at him.

"We're done. You said so yourself. So let us be done. Let me go. Stop looking for me. Move on with your life. Let me move on with mine."

"I can't." He answered desperately.

"Livvie, I'm sorry for what I said. For that day in the Electrical closet. I'm sorry."

"You left me all alone." Liv replied in a haunted whisper recalling such a painful memory.

"I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter anymore ."

"It does matter. I love you." Olivia flinched at his words. The word love evoked the same emotion as his calling her his mistress. Somewhere in that electrical closet the two had merged into something that was worth nothing. She chuckled somewhat bitterly and looked at him for the first time.

"What we had, it wasn't love. That was just something we told ourselves to make it sound better. To make it acceptable. It wasn't me you loved. It was the idea. Love is for wives not mistresses. Certainly not for the President's whore." She said it so definitively that Fitz knew that she believed it. As he looked in her eyes searchingly, he could see that she had closed herself to him.

"Livvie..."

"Please don't."

"I can't lose you." Olivia almost scoffed but stopped herself not wanting to be unkind.

"What exactly are you losing Fitz? Your on call booty call?"

"You have never been..." he began to protest but they both knew his actions had spoken loud and had managed to diminish everything they had shared.

"I'm really sorry Fitz. For all of it. For Defiance. Most of all I'm sorry I didn't just let you fire me. I'm sorry I didn't just go into my own room that night. I'm sorry I fell in love with you even though I knew it was wrong. That it would never be right. If I didn't my judgment wouldn't have been clouded. I would have caught it if we weren't involved. I would have been the fixer I was meant to be."

"You regret us?" He asked. Fitz watched as she took a deep breath before answering.

"I never thought the day would come that I would, but then again I never thought the word mistress would ever come out of your mouth. It seems Olivia Pope has been wrong about a lot of things."

"Tell me how to fix this." He begged.

"There are some things that are beyond repair." She answered sadly.

"Please stop having me followed. Please stop looking for me. Whatever we were, it's over. It's done." Olivia stood to her feet she was about to walk away when she atopped for a moment.

"What Cy and I did, Defiance...It's unforgivable. I get it. Some day I hope you realise that it wasn't out of malice or lack of belief in you. It was actually the complete opposite. Cy loves you. No man has ever been so loyal to his president. He would slay dragons for you. Please give him the send off he deserves. Let him close this season properly. He devoted his whole life to you and for your presidency despite what has happened his devotion deserves something. Give him something good to remember. You owe him that much."

"Liv, I did, I do love you." She met his gaze,

"For what it's worth, I believe you actually believe that."

I'm so sorry for the lack of updates. I'm trying to roll them out as quickly as possible but work and life gets in the way. Please keep your reviews coming. They inspire me.