Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal
Chapter Ten: Counting Stars Part I
I see this life like a swinging vine, swing my heart across the line
In my face is flashing signs, seek it out and ye shall find
Old, but I'm not that old, young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold, I'm just doing what we're told
I feel something so right, by doing the wrong thing
I feel something so wrong, by doing the right thing
I could lie, couldn't I, couldn't I, everything that kills me makes me feel alive
- "Counting Stars" Onerepublic
Six Months Later
"He doesn't like me to go anywhere alone." Quinn rolled her eyes, "He's already in a major overprotective drive." She shook her head.
Olivia laughed and shut the door to her office, "Quinn, he loves you and he loves your baby and that's all. You know he was part of a crazy world before all of this." She motioned around her office in the West Wing.
Quinn sighed and picked up her mug of tea, "I know, it's just tiring. I mean he's always been a bit overprotective, but this is like on a whole entire other level. Like letting me out of his sight physically pains him."
Olivia curled up in her chair, "How new is this, Quinn? You haven't been complaining about this until the past, I don't know week?" She guessed.
Nodding, Quinn murmured, "I guess that's about how long it's been going on." She agreed.
Olivia hummed quietly, "Well then, it sounds like there might be something in particular that's bothering him. Have you asked?"
Quinn snorted, "Of course I've asked, but all he does is give me a line about how dangerous the world is."
Frowning, Olivia asked, "And that's all he says?"
Quinn nodded, "That's all he says. It makes me think there's something more is going on here, because he doesn't keep secrets from me."
"Okay," Olivia agreed, "I'll bite. I'll find out if something's wrong."
Quinn nodded, "Thanks, Liv. You're the only one I can think of who he'd talk to if he won't talk to me."
Olivia nodded in agreement. "Okay, is there anything else you can come up? Any other difference in behavior?"
Quinn chewed on her lip as she thought, "He's spent more time in his office. With the door shut." She clarified, "Even when we're not working." She clarified.
"I'll handle it." Olivia promised.
SCANDAL
Olivia stormed into Huck's office, throwing the door open and slamming it shut behind her. "What is going on?" She asked quietly.
Huck slipped off his headphones and turned to look at her. "What are you talking about?" He asked, his voice raspy.
"What is going on that has you so concerned about Quinn and the baby?" She clarified, "Why is your wife so concerned about you being overly concerned and secretive?"
Huck hung the headset up in its proper place and slowly turned his chair to face Olivia. "I don't know what you're talking about or what Quinn could possibly be worried about. Maybe it has to do with hormones." He suggested.
Olivia scowled, "Huck," she repeated slowly, "I know you're lying to me. I want it to stop and I want you to tell me the truth."
"Hey, Liv," Harrison pushed open the door to Huck's office, "special delivery for you." He held up an envelope.
Olivia scowled, "Thank you, Harrison. Now get out." She ordered as she snatched the envelope out of his hands. She turned back to Huck. "You have thirty minutes to figure out what is going on inside your head and then you and I are going to talk. I'm not going to pry into your past, but your wife is one of my best friends and she's worried." Spinning she was out of the of the office and stomping down to hers.
Harrison, Stephen and Abby watched her move, "What the hell did Huck do?" Stephen asked with a chuckle.
Abby shrugged, "I just hope it's not anything too bad because I have a lit of cases and there are some really interesting ones on my pile."
A moment later, Huck's door flew open and he followed Olivia's path down to her office, "Whatever is going on is none of your business. And I'm just trying to make sure my wife is safe. Particularly now that she's carrying my child. Our last client was out to get us and the last thing I need is someone else waltzing in here with a story that puts us in the same position and"
Olivia rolled her eyes and tore open the envelope Harrison had handed her earlier, "Oh, stop giving me the martyr spy crap. Something in particular is going on and I want to know what and what the hell is this?" She muttered.
Huck let out a huff, "If you're going to lecture me, then at least pay attention to me." He snatched the papers out of her hands and stared down at them. "Where did this come from?" He asked quietly.
"Harrison gave it to me. It came in the mail." She shrugged, "Urgent was stamped on it so he didn't just toss it with the rest of the mail." She watched as his brow furrowed, "What's wrong?"
"We have a problem." He murmured. Turning, he was back in his office with the sheet music in his hand in thirty seconds.
Quinn appeared in her doorway, "Harrison said you're fighting with him. What's going on?" She asked quickly.
"I don't know." Olivia admitted, "Huck, stop and tell us what the hell is going on?"
"Be quiet!" Huck ordered as he fiddled with an old radio in his office.
"What the hell are you listening to static for?" Stephen was now in the doorway, Abby and Harrison peering over his shoulders.
"Shut up." Huck demanded again, as he continued to turn the knobs of the old contraption. He reached for a piece of paper and a pencil, jotting down notes. A minute later, he shut off the radio and was moving into the conference room. "You listen, every day," he told them, "you always listen. You never don't, because one day there could be something. And you don't want to be blindsided. There were signs over the last week. Signs, but I didn't know." He pushed the sheet music to the center of the room. "Someone's going to tell. This is my world. I have to go and I have to handle this." He glanced at Quinn. "I want you to stay with Olivia. I want you to stay at the White House where the Secret Service can watch you at all times." He ordered.
Quinn was shaking her head, blinking back tears from the damn hormones, "Absolutely not. I need you to tell me more. I need you to tell me now. I'm not going to be in the dark on this. We're a team, Huck. Husband and wife." She waved her hand in the air, showing off the engagement ring and her wedding band. "You don't keep secrets from me and I don't keep secrets from you."
Olivia stepped in the doorway, "This was sent to me." She told him, "Not to you. To me. Therefore, this is my case."
"This is my world and you're the First Lady of the United States. You can't be involved in this." Huck told her honestly.
She scoffed, "Please, I think we are long past that First Lady bullshit." She snapped. "Now, we know that I do whatever the hell I want, and if this involves you being safe then Fitz will jump at me helping you, so don't throw him into this either. Now what is going on?"
Huck sighed in resignation, "Fine, someone is calling us."
"Define us." Olivia demanded.
"Others, others who are like me." Huck clarified.
Harrison nodded, "You mean ex-CIA?"
Huck rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "I didn't work for the CIA. I worked for a secret government organization, called B-613."
Stephen frowned, "What is B-613?"
"An organization that is supposed to protect the Republic. Now, we're moving on." Olivia demanded.
"Why are we moving on?" Abby asked.
"Because it is a dangerous organization." Olivia answered slowly, "And we're not really going to tangle with them. Huck is right, that's something we don't want to do." She turned back to Huck, "So, what does it mean that someone is calling you?"
"Someone wants to expose us." Huck continued.
"And what will that do?" Olivia asked.
He shrugged, "Whatever it is, it's not good."
Olivia nodded, "Okay then, we get them all in here."
Huck stepped forward, "That is not a good idea." He glanced at his wife, whose hand was rubbing over her pregnant belly. "They come nowhere near you."
"Then we keep Quinn away from them." Olivia consented.
"And you." Huck ordered.
"Nope, I need to be here. I'm not in danger." She promised. "Just get them here." Turning she called out, "Hal!"
Hal appeared at the next moment, "I want Quinn taken back to the White House."
Quinn was already shaking her head, "No, no way, I'm not going anywhere."
"I'll go with you." Abby offered, "We can work from your office or the Residence, we can do whatever you need from a distance."
Olivia nodded, "If I need to," she nodded to Huck, "I'll go, but I think they'll be more likely to cooperate if I'm the one giving the orders." She decided. "Hal, get Abby and Quinn back to the White House." She turned back to Huck, "You get them here."
SCANDAL
Olivia crossed her arms as the room slowly filled up, "Good afternoon and thank you all for joining us." Her eyes roved to the seven spies. "Now, someone is trying to flush you out, to expose you and B-613. You seven will stay here while my team figures out who it is. Am I understood?"
She was on the other side of seven steely stares and no response.
This was going to be harder than she thought.
SCANDAL
XOXO
MAS