"For some time now my husband has been maintaining an extramarital affair, I'm unsure at this point if it's only the one woman, I've not looked further into the matter as it's more than I can bear at the moment." She hoses and places her hands over her insurance, rubbing and cradling it, knowing full well that the bump allows her to float through the storm as an innocent passenger.

"I discovered this information a little over a year ago, it was and remains a very troubling time for me. I was deeply wounded by my husband's actions but I stood by him as he vowed to commit wholly to our marriage and honour the vows we made before God. I found out a month later that this had been a fabrication in order to ensure my support for him on the campaign, he saw my kindness and used it to his advantage. This is the point where I can in all honesty say I regret not speaking the truth, not outing him as the fraud and liar he was, but remaining silent and strong at his side, always looking the other way. However, when I discovered that he planned to divorce me as soon as we left the White House, I could no longer contain my grief. I turned to my closet friend for comfort and he was immeasurably helpful at a time where I felt there was no hope in the world."

She slowly ignites her smile as she thinks of him, this is the part that needs no embellishment, "He was there for me at one of the darkest times in my life, he was the light that led me out. As our friendship grew, so did our feelings for one another and we began a relationship of our own. Of course I carried all the guilt that my husband never seemed to share and I struggled day and night over what was the right thing to be doing, but the fact that this man was there for me and continues to be there for me at a time where my husband wasn't, well, I don't know what else to say. I felt that once he'd forsaken his vows, mine were rendered obsolete."

She winces and fans her fingers gently over her mouth as if to contain a sob, "I would like to state that if my husband had kept his vows to me, there would be no chance of my standing here today. I would have stayed happy and at peace by his side until my death. However, Fit's actions have lead me to a path I never thought I'd take, I'm only happy that we can finally part ways as we should have done a year ago."

The reporters clammer and grasp at one another, their havoc like a cheer of applause to crown her monologue, she almost curtsies at their praise, her lips remaining firm for appearances but on the inside she waltzes and smiles.

XxX

"Huck, I need those paternity results asap. Abby, I need you to draft several statements of response for the President, covering all possible avenues we could pursue. Harrison, dig up all the information from the campaign we had on the First Lady. Quinn, schedule a press conference for tomorrow morning at 9am, the President will be addressing the nation directly about this matter. I don't need to tell you we haven't got much time so I need this all within the next hour, am I clear?"

She is met with nods and affirmations as they fly out the door and she marches towards the press conference, her head filled with boiling rage as the woman she put in office spouts lies about the man she loves.

By the time she arrives Cyrus is already standing, watching this colossal wreak set a blaze as Mellie dances round the fire, sloshing oil wherever she goes. She pulls up beside him as he rubs his hand over his forehead, an old and reliable sign of his nerves.

"What do we do?" He cries as he shakes his head and glances up at her, "Liv, please, I'm begging you, if you have any final tricks left up your sleeve, now is the time. This will kill me. Hell, this will kill all of us, we will crash and burn so fast that the few tiny bits of our remains will be magnified and twisted and turned until we are no longer humans but some of the best specimens of dishonour and lies in the world. So I'm asking you, Liv, help us."

She sighs heavily, "There is something," but she holds hesitance and fragility in her voice and he knows it's drastic but so is the situation.

"Do it."

"Cyrus-"

"I'm not fucking around here Liv, the longer she talks, the faster we fall. GO!"

"Alright, it's handled." She slipped outside and dialled swiftly, her fingers flying over the phone's numbers.

"I need a favour.."

XxX

"My baby-" She began but she was cut off by the sound of silences. Everything paused as the lights drained and the press's phones stopped ringing. The cameras went dead and the room was left in total darkness, obliterated from the most powerful place in the world to a small and pokey room for 50 people. Mellie groped for something around her that could help the situation as the reporters fumbled and fidgeted in the dark. Suddenly she felt a strong hand grip her arm sharply and pull her backwards so she could feel their breath on her neck.

She shivered and sighed, "what do you want?"

She heard a slight chuckled in return as they spoke softly, "you and I are going to have a little chat."

She felt herself stumble backwards as they pulled her from the stage and into another room, dimly lit with several candles, "Sit down Mellie." As her eyes adjust to the dark she notices the three figures and laughs, "Well if it isn't the three musketeers."

They share a look as Olivia glances at her lover and her teacher and begins to bargain, "We've got your paternity results, it's time to make a deal."

Hi again,

so sorry I dropped off the map, I've just started Uni and I'm grappling with some personal issues at the moment within my family but I'll try and update as much as I can! Your support really does keep me going so thank you to everyone who has shared their feelings for the story and my others. Know that it always brings a smile to my face.

All my love,

SamYo