Title: No Exit

Author: GEM

Date: 4-15-14

Pairing: Olivia/Fitz

Rating: T

Summary: "No I'm saying, your father has to be stopped. I want you to know before I stop him; I want you to hear me say that I love you, no matter what happens." Can Fitz stop Olivia's father? Can Fitz and Olivia father deal with the consequences of those actions. Will he be able to help Olivia pick up the pieces and move on from the ruins her father has left behind?

Disclaimer: Scandal is Property of Shonda Rimes and ABC et al.

A/N: Here is chapter 4 I know it's been forever but I hope you enjoy. Season 3A spoilers ahead. We be visiting Olivia and Fitz angst and Vermont as well. We will see some other familiar faces from my other stories along the way. Let me know what you think as you join me on the next journey. Thank to all that have favored and reviewed so far keep them coming they help move me along. I was stuck for a bit on this one but I think I have it sorted out now. Remember to review, favorite and follow... I hope RL will allow me to update more often now.

Chapter 4

The phone rang as Lesley was driven up to the West Wing Entrance. "Jake?"

"Huck and I have a positive identification." Jake's voice was businesslike and void of emotion. 'Les, you there?"

"I'm here. I'm just trying to wrap my head around all this." Lesley stepped out onto the pavement as her agent opened the door. "I can't talk about this now Jake."

"You've been called to the Principal's Office?" Jake had an audible smile in his voice.

"I wouldn't laugh, spy boy. "

"You're right, that is wrong of me. The question remains though, what do you want to do about this?"

"I'll leave that up to you and the folks at OPA. I think we need to keep Olivia's safety in mind while we do this."

"We all agree on that. I'll call you when we have a plan."

Lesley hung up the phone and walked into the West Wing were she was greeted by LeAnn Taylor. "LeAnn." Lesley said as they started walking toward the Oval Office.

"I never meant for him to find out like this. I'm sorry. I dropped the file."

"Please don't blame yourself. It was bound to happen at some point. I'll go in there and take the heat for it. The end all is we all did the right thing and would do the same again. We did our jobs. He's not thinking with his head right now. He's thinking with his heart. "

"I have been working for him for three years. I have never seem him like this. I hope you're right."

Lesley turned the corner into the outer office connected to the Oval with LeAnn not far behind. "LeAnn, get out of here this is my problem. I need you to get some information. I need everything you and your agents have of the New England campaign swing."

"I'll get it to you before you leave."

"I'll call you when I need it." Lesley turned to Lauren. "He called for me."

"He wants to see you upstairs." Lauren said calmly LeAnn and Lauren watched Lesley's face pale.

"Crap." Lesley whispered before going out the door down the West Colonnade toward the residence. There was no doubt Lesley was in trouble. She walked into the residence and toward Fitz's study. Tom was waiting outside. "How is he?"

Tom grunted. "I'll be right outside."

"Great," Lesley groaned. She took a deep breath, nodded at Tom, who knocked and then opened the door. Lesley stepped through and into the fire that was Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third. "Mr. President." Lesley stood in front of the desk and watched Fitz stare out the window out onto the Truman Balcony.

Lesley stood and waited for the onslaught of emotions that was sure to come as soon as Fitz stopped brooding. The onslaught did not immediately come. "You lied to me." Fitz said in a soft but firm voice. Lesley took a deep breath and stared at the floor. "You lied to me." Fitz repeated as he turned from the window to face his Deputy Chief of Staff.

"Mr. President..." Lesley was cut off by the sound of a fist slamming the desk in front of her.

"You lied to me!" Fitz threw the folder, Lesley did not see him holding, down on the desk between them. The contents of the folder spewed out across the desk between them. Lesley caught quick glimpses of photo of Olivia's apartment and the report from the secret service. "I called you. I asked you if you had seen Olivia. Do you remember what you said to me?"

Fitz had come around the desk and Lesley was now looking directly into his steel, blue-gray, stormy eyes. She could see the pain, hurt and fear he had for Olivia. "She's not here. I haven't seen her." Lesley said softly but with confidence.

"What was that I didn't hear you?" Fitz was driving his point home. He was hurt so everyone around him was going to hurt too."

Lesley looked at him. In a voice she reserved for uncooperative Congressmen and Senators on the Hill She repeated in a strong, confident voice. "She's not here. I haven't seen her."

"You haven't seen her. You lied to me!"

"I lied to you!" Lesley agreed. "You are the President of the United States. I lied. I admit that. I lied to protect you and to protect her. We don't know who did this. We don't know who the target was. You or Olivia. I did it to protect you both. If you don't like it than I'll leave. You can fire me." Lesley was on a roll. "I did it for her. I did it to save you. You're the President. You can't go running to the hospital in the middle of the night to sit with the woman you love."

Fitz was silently happy that Lesley did not use the M word. "I can. I have. I should have been there. You should have called me! I should have sat there all night. That what you do when someone love is in the hospital."

"You don't do that when you're running for President. you're married and the person you love is not your wife!" Lesley was begin to falter. She didn't want to fight with Fitz anymore. She need him to understand why she did what she did. "I lied to protect her! I lied to protect you!"

"You keep saying that but I don't understand how you lying to me about where she was protects her." Fitz was still enraged but was beginning to lose some of his gusto.

Lesley continued to let Fitz yell at her and then took another deep breath before address the man she considered to be her brother."Mr. President, Fitz...are you done yelling. If your done, I'll be happy to share my reasons with you.

Fitz moved to the couch on the other side of the Oval Room that severed as his study and sat down. "I'm done yelling, but I'm still mad at you and I don't understand why, Lesley? Why?"

"I didn't want to but it was the only way to make sure you were both safe. The Service still isn't sure, given the nature of the attack, who the intended target is. They think it may have been you." Lesley sat down next to Fitz and reached for his hand. He looked up at her. She could tell this was breaking him. "Olivia name was all over the news as the woman who you were having an affair with until it was fixed. It has been suggested that someone out there might have attacked her to get to you."

Lesley felt Fitz squeeze her hand. "It is not the most asinine idea I've ever heard." Fitz stood up and walked over to the North window. "What can you tell me about Liv's condition?"

Lesley paused for a moment to compose her thoughts. "I can tell you that she's in a fair amount of pain, given the five broken ribs and multiple contusions. The injuries were most likely inflicted with a metal pipe like object. She also has a number of stitches above her right eye. She was thrown to the floor and hit the corner of her coffee table." Lesley was being as gentle as possible in the description of the wounds that Olivia sustained. Fitz turned had turned white as she spoke.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Fitz asked looking at the woman he considered a sister. Lesley took his hands and lead him back to sit with her.

"There was so much blood when they brought her in I almost didn't recognize her. When I realized it was her. I made a quick call to the office. Right now, she is being guarded by eight off-duty Secret Service agents. They are volunteering their time because they respect you. She is in the VIP wing of James Madison and nothing is going to happen to her.

"I need the names of those agents. I would like to thank them."

"Yes, Mr. President."

"I'm going to ask you again. Is there anything else I need to know about Olivia's condition?"

"I can't share anything more with you. There are things that Olivia asked me not to tell you." Lesley saw that Fitz was about to protest once again. She quickly attempt to calm his protest. "She wants to share those things with you herself and in person."

"I can't see her. You said it yourself. It's not safe and I'm running for President."

"You can't see her yet." Lesley offered. "You will see her soon. Fitz I need your help. We need to get Olivia out of D.C. It's not safe for her here. Her team has some leads but they can't pursue them until Olivia is away from here and safe."

"What do you need from me?'' Fitz asked knowing full well what Lesley had in mind.

"You know what I need Fitz. The question is what do you need at this moment? " Lesley smile and winked. She put a cell phone in Fitz's hand. "Call her. She's not the strong, formidable Olivia Pope at the moment but she needs to know that your there of her. She won't tell you the things you want to know over the phone. Don't ask. She is weak and not herself; talk to her and be there for her. The phones won't be traced Hal and I saw to that. She's waiting for your call. I'll be back. I need to grab some information for the New England campaign trip."

Fitz turned back to Lesley. "You know we are going to have a Sally Langston problem to deal with too."

"Let's get the New England trip and some down time under our belts before we worry about Langston. Everyone is doing the same before the debate season starts anyway. We'll deal with Sally when the time is right."

Fitz nodded and looked down at the phone again. ''New England's in play?"

Lesley stopped and turned with her hand on the doorknob. "New England is in play, thanks to Sally. Call Liv, she number one on the speed dial. She's waiting for your call and remember Vermont is our last stop." Lesley smiled and walked out the door.

OOO

Lesley's cell phone rang as she entered the West Wing. LeAnn was waiting for her by her office. "I see you survived." LeAnn said with a little humor in her voice.

Lesley smiled, sitting behind her desk. "It would seem that I have, for now, anyway." The ladies were interrupted by a knock on the doorframe. "Cyrus, come in."

LeAnn looked at the Chief of Staff and turned back to Lesley. "I'll see you later."

"Touch base with me when we are set." LeAnn nodded and took her leave. Lesley turned to Cyrus who was sitting in front of her desk. "Hello, Cy."

"You should have told me." The statement was firm.

"If I had told you about Olivia, what would you have done?" Lesley leaned back in her chair.

Cyrus leaned forward grasping the desk. "I would have come down there." Cyrus had a hint of emotion in his voice as he sat back.

Lesley threw her messages on the desk. "There was nothing you could do. What do you think Fitz would have done if he discovered neither one of us was in the building and Olivia was missing?

Cyrus let out the breath he was holding. "You're right? That would not have ended well."

"I know. I have to do what's right for Liv. She's been through hell. She needs to heal and when she does she'll come back to the campaign. She needs time to come terms with what happened to her."

"They really don't know who did this to her?"

"There are no solid leads yet but her people are working on it."

"Good, what are we going to do about our Sally problem?"

"There are several thing I would like to do, but none of them will get us re-elected." Lesley said, the playful smirk not hidden on her face.

Cyrus let out a little laugh for the first time since hearing about Olivia. "Isn't that the truth."

Lesley continued happy to have a little bit of political distraction for the moment. "She's going to run. We find ourselves a new running mate and hit her where it hurts. New England is our first step. Four cities in four days.

"We should get together on this after New England, maybe Camp David?" Cyrus suggested not letting it go.

"He needs to rest, Cyrus. We need to have him fresh as we ramp up into the campgain. Liv has had this break in the schedule for weeks. The Secret Service already as a location set up. We'll deal with Sally when we get back."

Cyrus stood up, leaning on the desk. "We should talk to Liv."

"Cyrus, she's not in any condition to talk about this. When she's ready she'll let us know."

Cyrus pushed away from the desk like a spoiled child. "Fine but I am not losing this election to Sally Langston." Cyrus walked out of Lesley's office slamming the door.

"I don't intend to either." Lesley said to herself as she collect her belongings and walked out of the office.

OOO

Fitz stared at the phone in his hand contemplating his next move. He needed her, it was that simple. He needed to know that she was still with him no matter what was wrong. He needed to know that she was still alive. He needed her to know that no matter what was happening they would get through it together. Fitz hesitated for another moment. He wasn't sure if he would be able to stay in his crown jewel of the American Prison system. He needed to be with her, see her and comfort her. He wasn't sure if he could take hearing the pain laced voice of the formidable Olivia Carolyn Pope and not be able to get to her.

Fitz decided that the phone call would have to be a enough for now. He flipped open the phone and pressed the number one on the speed dial. The phone rang twice before he heard the phone pick up. He heard a small shallow voice say hello. "Liv?" Fitz asked unsure it was her but worried that it was his Liv

"Hi." Olivia answered in a whisper that had become her new voice since the attack. Her confidence was shattered not to mention her ribs which made everything she did excoriating.

"Hi." Fitz sat hard in the chair behind his desk. "I needed to hear you voice. I was so worried Liv. I just needed to know that you were..." Fitz struggled to find the right word. Okay didn't seem appropriate. He sat at the desk, holding the phone to ear, waiting for her to say something...anything."

"Fitz?" Olivia said his name in a horse whisper.

"I'm here."

"Hard..to...talk...so much...pain."

Fitz listened as she struggled to get those six little words out. "I understand." Fitz tried hard to stay calm suddenly overcome with the desire to inflect as much pain as possible on the individual who was responsible for this. "We will get through this Olivia...together."

"Don't say...you don't know..." Olivia started to cough. She let out an excoriating sound of pain."

Fitz stood up as he listened. "Liv?" He began to panic as he heard her begin to cry. He could hear Hal trying to help her on the other end. Fitz collected himself and spoke. "Don't cry, Sweet Baby, I know it hurts, but please don't cry." Fitz begged her as he wiped his own tears. "I can't stand to hear you cry, Baby. One Minute?" Fitz turned to the window, he was desperate to get her to calm down. "One minute." He repeated. Liv's coughing fit had stopped. Fitz could hear her breathing begin to even out and they were now, breathing in synch.

When the minute ended, Liv was the first to speak. "Thank you."

Fitz fell back into his chair. "I love you. I will always be here for you. You don't have to Thank me, Livvie."

Olivia pulled the phone a little way away from her ear. She was doing her best to stay calm but Fitz was such a romantic. He didn't make it easy. "I love you, too." Hal appeared at the door with two nurses in tow. "I have to go. They just arrived to take me for more tests."

Fitz let out a breath he was holding. He didn't want this conversation to end. "Call me if you need to talk. Call anytime, Liv. I'll see you soon. I promise."

"I will." Liv answered weakly getting tired from their conversation. The line went dead shortly after that but Fitz held on to the phone for dear life. He was brought out of his musing when someone knocked on the door. Lesley walked through moments later. "Lesley?"

"Fitz." Lesley answered as she walked over to his desk.

Fitz stood up and put the phone he was just using in his pants pocket. "Did you get everything settled with LeAnn? Do you have everything we need."

Lesley smiled. "I do."

Fitz sat down again "Let's get to work then. How do we help Livvie?"