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Chapter Ten: God Gave Me You

I've been a walking heartache, I've made a mess of me

The person that I've been lately ain't who I want to be

But you stay here right beside me

Watch as the storm blows through, and I need you

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs

God gave me you for the days of doubt

And for when I think I've lost my way

There are no words here left to say it's true

God gave me you

- "God Gave Me You" Blake Shelton

"His ratings are in trouble, Cy." Olivia pointed out, "And with the reelection happening this year we can't stall this interview any longer."

"I just don't think it's a good idea, Liv." Cyrus continued to pace around his office.

"Look, the four of us sit down with Kimberly Mitchell and begin to discuss how our family is functioning, how we're adjusting how we work and how the Jenny Nystrom incident affected us." She paused and frowned, "Why are you so against this?" Her frown deepened, "What do you know?"

He sighed and closed his office door, leading her over to the sofa he whispered, "Sally is talking to Leo Bergen."

"The political consultant and wanna be fixer?" Olivia asked incredulously. Honestly, Leo was very good at his job. Many of her clients and would be clients had run to him after the affair scandal dropped. Luckily for her, many were coming back. He wasn't as good and lacked the tact she and her team had.

"She's going to run as an independent." Cyrus continued, "James did some snooping for me."

Olivia leaned back, "We need to find another VP candidate." She stated flatly.

"And the interview,"

"Will do more good than harm, trust me. Okay, look we just need read Fitz in and get through this interview." Olivia told him calmly. "One crisis at a time."

"You're on this right? OPA is on this?" Cyrus confirmed.

"OPA is on this." Olivia assured him.

SCANDAL

"Liv, what's up that we all need to meet right in the middle of the day?" Fitz asked as Mellie and Andrew joined them in the Oval Office.

"Well you're approval numbers sure aren't up." Olivia told them honestly, "Cyrus and I have discussed it and we agree that the four of us need to sit down with Kimberly Mitchell and discuss the new dynamics with the family."

"Our family." Mellie told her.

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked.

"It's not the family, it's our family." She motioned to the four of them, "We need to present it that way. The people need to know that."

"Our family." Fitz repeated, "I like it. Set it up and get us talking points." He told Olivia.

"Of course, Cyrus is setting everything up and I'll have Abby and Harrison go through everything that could be asked. We can do this." Olivia stated firmly.

"Of course we can," Andrew spoke up, "we may be an unconventional family, but we are still a family." He grinned over at Mellie who reached out and took his hand.

"Sounds good, now there's one more issue." Olivia glanced over at Mellie, "Cyrus has confirmed that Sally is looking to run as an independent in 2012."

"What?" Andrew and Fitz chorused together.

"Which means we need to start vetting candidates. I just want to bring this to your attention," she motioned to Mellie and Andrew, "so you know these next few months could be a little bit rocky."

"Anything we can do to help," Andrew told her and Fitz, "just let us know."

"Thanks, Liv, can I talk to you for a little bit?" Olivia nodded and Fitz opened the door, "Lauren, get Cyrus in here please."

When the room had been cleared with the exception of Olivia, Cyrus and Fitz, Lauren shut the door and Cyrus jumped into action, "We need a list of candidates to begin quietly vetting, sir."

"I can have a list ready for you to review in an hour." Olivia informed him.

"I don't need a list." Fitz moved to stand behind the Resolute Desk.

Olivia knew that move. It was his way of reminding them that he had the power and what he wanted was ultimately what would happen, "You have a candidate or a list in mind?" Olivia asked.

"Andrew."

"Andrew?" Cyrus asked, "Andrew who?"

"Andrew Nichols." Fitz clarified.

"You can't be serious, Fitz." Olivia snapped, "Do you want to lose? Do you want to hand the election to Sally or God forbid Reston?"

"Reston would be better than Sally." Cyrus quipped.

"You cannot have another California boy run with you." Olivia told him gently, "Baby, the party won't like him because he's too liberal and the liberals will crucify you because he's a rich, white guy who's your buddy."

"I trust Andrew. Andrew is running with me. I'm going to ask him today. Figure out how to make it work." Fitz looked evenly at the two of them, "That will be all."

Olivia made sure to slam the Oval Office door as hard as she could on her way out. "He wants to lose." She snapped at Cyrus as she led him down the hall to his office.

"He's not thinking clearly." Cyrus pointed out.

"Obviously, he just dismissed me." Olivia nearly screeched. "He has got to stop acting like a five year old and learn to think like a grown ass man." She continued to rant as he shut the door behind them.

"Okay, so what do we need to do?" Cyrus asked.

Olivia sat down and sighed, "We need to get my team here." She began, "And we need to look at what poll numbers would look like if he ran Andrew before he asks Andrew. Maybe then we can get him to change his mind."

"I'll get the geeks here on it." Cyrus picked up his phone, "I'll have Jeanine clear out an office space for you guys." He called out as she moved to the door.

"Great, I'm going to pump your husband for more information." She waved as she left.

SCANDAL

"Two things," Olivia began as she shut the door to the Oval Office, "I don't care how you're feeling, you never dismiss me like that again." Fitz looked up from the briefing on his desk.

"What?"

"The way you dismissed me with Cyrus earlier, I do not work for you. I am your girlfriend. And if you ever dismiss me like that again, I will not be your girlfriend any longer. Anything I do for you and your campaign, I do because I love you, not because I have to. Not because you pay me. I'm not your lackey. I'm your girlfriend." She repeated.

"I'm sorry." His eyes dropped from her face to his briefing and then back up at her again.

"It's okay." She told him honestly, "Secondly, these are your poll numbers if you ask Andrew to be your vice president."

"I've already asked him." Fitz pushed the numbers she set on his desk back at her. "I don't want to see the numbers."

"Okay," Olivia began, "but,"

"No buts, Livie. Look, you and your team don't have to work on this, but you're the best and we need the best, I'd like if you did. So I don't want to see the numbers, I just want you to support my choice and fix it."

Olivia straightened and sighed, her mind flashing back to what she'd told Mellie and Cyrus during the press conference Fitz insisted on having after he was shot. She has to support him. It's not asking a lot. "We'll handle it."

"Thank you, Livie."

"Of course, Mr. President." She leered slightly.

When her hand was on the door knob he said, "I love you, Livie."

She turned and grinned, "I love you to, Fitz."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS