She is standing by them. Just staring at Olivia. Letting Abby and Harrison discuss her rejecting Marcus's offer. "Tell her no." Ashley says. Olivia starts walking away. They follow her. Hal and Tom show up. The two men stand in the foyer waiting. She walks up to them. "What are you doing here?" She asks. He makes sure that no one else can hear. Hal stands next to her. On her other side. He brings her closer to him. He leans in whispering. "We have a situation." He tells her. Harrison sees her leaving. And stares at the men next to her. "Ashley, where are you going?" "Harrison, I have to go take care of something. Tell Olivia I'm sorry." She stands closer to Tom as they start walking again. Hal opens the car door for her. She gets in.

She finds out about Sally's meeting. She interrupts it. What is this?" She asks Sally. Get out. You're fired." She tells Leo. "I don't work for you. I don't have to leave." He says. She gets in his face, an eyebrow raised. "She is the VP. Just almost quite there but not yet. I work for the top dog. So, in a sense you work for me. For his position is higher then hers. Now beat it." She waits until he leaves the room. Sally just stares at her. "This meeting was private. How do you know the things you know?" Sally says and inquires. "I keep my ear to the ground. And my eyes (wide) open." She says opening the door. "I have more important things to do. Don't cross me again." She says, then walks out.

She leaves to talk to Fitz. She's coming closer to The Office. She sees that Cyrus and Mellie are there. She goes to stand in front of them. And hears what Mellie has told Grant. She folds her arms. "You're not welcome, Mellie." She stares at Mellie over her comment. "Both of you get out." The President tells them, when Olivia walks in. She shakes her head. "I'm not here." She says. As she stares out the window as they talk. "With you, I am an open book; but when you talk about a highly classified mission. That it doesn't exist." He tells her when she questions him. 'Everything is falling apart.' She thinks as she remains a wallflower. She doesn't know what to do when he goes and brings up Defiance. "I can't work for you." she tells him. She walks out, as Mellie walks in.

"What have you done?" She asks before continuing her tirade. "Its done, Mellie." He responds. She actually slaps him. Ashley and Cyrus stare taken off guard. "STOP, Back off." She hollers. She puts her hand on his shoulder. Mellie leaves just as soon as she came. "Cyrus, I need to speak to him. It won't be long I promise." She tells him, as he exits the room acquiescing to her. He remains looking down. "I know you can't discuss it. And I would tell her for you, if I could. And that I really shouldn't be discussing it, either. However, I must tell you why it is so important to her. Why would she care so much about a mission you had been on, otherwise. Her mother was on that plane." She goes to him when she sees his reaction. He is still downcast.

She bends down a little to look at him. She quickly wraps her arms around him. As he places his head in the crook of her neck, as the tears keep coming. Neither caring that they are in the middle of the room. In plain sight of the camera. When he has put himself together enough. They keep staring at each other. As she places her hand on his cheek. The door opens. And he stands there. The jealousy vanishes when he sees the condition of their boss. And knows that they aren't flirting. 'This pregnancy has really changed her. She is a little more mindful of others' feelings.'

"Ashley?" She turns to him. "I will be right out. Tell Cyrus I need a few more minutes. Thank you, Tom." She says. The door is closed. "Everything was going so well. Even after, they pinned the tale on the donkey (Jeanine). You two were still on the same page. But, that is rapidly changing. If Ballard and Huck had stopped when I had told them to. Or even now. No, they are too concerned of how it affects them and Olivia." He looks at her curiously when she says this.

"I will tell you the connection to that later. But for now, she is going to be stubborn. Putting her feet down and refusing to move. And I don't blame her. She has every right. That was her mother. Not some stranger to her. Its why she cares so much. It will take her time to recover. Go fight for her. And you are going to have to do it with every fiber of your being, if you want her. For, this is not some simple scratch she has. it's a deep, deep wound. And she might never truly recover now that she knows. You have to come clean with her, as much as you possibly can. If you can't. Then just tell her it doesn't exist. That you are sorry it happened. And that you didn't know her mother had been on board. But, that is all you can tell her.

And even that is going out on a limb. And in time with enough push from you, she will forgive you. I would say give her time to heal, for she is the type of person who needs it when they are healing. However, Ballard will be a vulture and swoop in the first chance he gets and make her his. Be subtle in your insistence. Don't come on too strong. It will show you still care; but not forcing her at the same time." She says, taking hold of his hand in hers.

She tells Cyrus he can go in now. Tom looks at her wanting answers. "Come with me." She says. He follows her. She stops in the next corridor. He stands a foot away from her. "Ashley, what was that? I know I told you never to do that in front of me again. And yet, I am not jealous this time. Is he okay? What is happening?" He asks concerned, for he had seen the hurt in Grant's eyes. All of this barely above a whisper. She brings herself to closer to him. "Olivia is slipping away from him. She has discovered a devastating secret. One she shouldn't know, for it has grave consequences…" She tells him, before pulling away.

She gets there too late. She makes a pointed look after Quinn brings up the relationship. "I'll handle it. I'll unlock the donations." She says. "I have my reasons for helping." She says after the looks is given. She becomes a wallflower in Josie's meetings with donors. Once it is over. She approaches her. "I need to talk to you." She says. Everyone leaves the room. The woman stands there waiting. Her hands held her in front of her.

" Stop digging. Olivia. If you love him stop. Huck and Ballard aren't your whipping boys. If you care about them and him. You will stop this nonsense." Olivia gives her a hard stare. "Olivia, please. If you continue on this path, either result will destroy you. Being without him. Or choosing the truth. He regrets what he has done. He loves you with everything he has. Isn't and shouldn't that be enough.

In the line of work we do, and the field we occupy. There are things. Things we do that are dirty. Things/secrets that can never see the light of day. I know you are hurt and have every right to be. But, you must understand. He was given an assignment. He was forbidden to talk about. He completed it. End of story. So, please for both of your sanities and well beings let it go. I prefer and want you to be with him. But, its your choice. You can still reject him. Because you have a valid reason. But, please close the door. Put and lock away the key. You refused at first, because you know what can and will happen. Not only to you. But to those you care about." She gets closer to Olivia.

"Don't allow this to go on. It would be in your and their best interest. Because, you know that everything that will occur, if you don't. All those things you fear. The things that go bump in the night. Well; they will no longer just be that, nightmares. They will be reality. So; you might as well line up yourself, Fitz, Huck, and Ballard and pull the trigger yourself. Because, that is what is going to happen. You will lose everyone and everything you care about. Your very lives'. And where will it leave those you care about. It will destroy and devastate them, him. If something happens to each and every one of you. Don't play the victim, Olivia you have done things, that you haven't told him. That you can't tell him. And now he can't give you the luxury of truth. And you want to crucify him for it.

So, you can only do things for when they are convenient for you. The only one allowed to have secrets. And do such things. I like you Olivia. But you don't want me as an enemy. My objective is to make him happy. And you make him happy. However, if you aren't going to cooperate. Because in spite of everything you love as much as he loves you. And make it difficult for me Then anything else or less goes.

I will take the collateral damage whatever/whomever it will be. So, go ahead and call the kettle black and be a hypocrite. I won't hold back. Even if it hurts him. He will come to understand that ridding this planet of you, will benefit the nation. I really hope it doesn't come to that though. For what, it would do to him emotionally. And like I said I like you. But, will have no choice if you do. Think about it. Really think about it. The consequences are irrevocable." She stops talking. There is nothing more she can say that hasn't already come out. She walks away. Before the tears can appear. This baby is really doing a number on her. "Are you okay, Ms. James?" He asks. "I'm good. Daniel, thank you." She says as Hal looks on in worry. She tells them there is a stop she needs to make. Daniel closes the door after she has gotten in the limo.