THREE MONTHS LATER
"So how was work? I feel like I hardly saw you at all today." Mellie says while pouring Olivia another glass of wine.
They're sitting at the dinning room table of their apartment. They've just finished eating dinner. Olivia ordered takeout because cooking has never been her specialty.
"We're not going to talk about work, Mellie. I don't want to be one of those couples that work together and then come home and have nothing to talk about except work. When we step into this apartment, you're not the president of the United States and I'm not your Director of Communications."
"Ok, fine. What should we talk about then?" Mellie asks before taking drink of her beer.
"Uh, how do you feel about Jon Snow dying in the Game of Thrones finale?"
Mellie nearly chokes on the drink and she looks at Liv with wide eyes. "I hadn't watched it yet!"
"Shit. I'm sorry, but in my defense the episode aired last year. It's a mystery to me how you even manage to avoid spoilers. How have you not seen the finale yet? I bought you the box set two months ago."
"I've been every busy. And so have you. When did you even have time to watch it?"
"I have a lot of free time every night when you're not here."
Since Mellie had become president, she only had time to come home to the apartment two nights out of the week for about two hours.
"I'm sorry, Liv. I'd be here every night if I could. You know that."
"I do." Olivia sighs while running her finger through her hair. "I'm sorry. Work was difficult today. There's been tons of press on the recent shooting of another unarmed black teenager."
"I know. Abby is making a statement on it tomorrow. I'm scheduled to meet with the victim's parents in a few days. You should come with me. They're not going to want to hear a word that comes out of my mouth. They're going to say that I have no idea how they feel and they'll be right. I have no idea what it's like to lose a child. I also have no idea what it's like to be Black in America."
"It's exhausting." Olivia responds quickly. "My dad used to say to me 'you have to be twice as good as them to get half of what they have' and he was right. Picture America as a racetrack. There's a black runner and there's a white a runner. They're both in equal health. Same height, same age, same build. The only difference is that they have different skin complexions. So, the gunman is about to start the race but before he does that he uses the gun to shoot the black runner in the leg. The race starts and the black opponent gives his everything. His blood, sweat, and tears are all over the track. When he finally makes it to the finish line, he all but collapses over it. The white opponent has been there for about ten minutes and everyone in the crowd is wondering why the black runner didn't finish at the same time. They think it's because the black runner didn't try hard enough. They think that he deserved to lose. That's what it's like being black in America. It's exhausting. It's like that for any person of color really. Not just black. People of color have different obstacles to overcome." Olivia finishes the glass of wine that Mellie recently poured for her before speaking again. "I'll go with you to speak to the family." She slides Mellie her glass so that she can refill it.
There's a knock on the front door before Huck sticks his head in. "It's almost time to head back to the White House, Madam President."
"I'll be out soon!" Mellie cries back before he shuts the door. "I still can't believe you forced Huck to be a Secret Service Agent so that he could keep an eye on me."
"I didn't have to force him. He hates wearing the suits but the man would do anything for me. He hardly put up a fight. Besides, I need to know that you're ok when I'm not around. I trust Huck. He knows that you're very important to me, which makes you his number one priority."
"I think you worry about me too much."
"And this is coming from the woman who makes Abby sleep here on the couch every night you're not here."
"She doesn't complain."
"Oh, she complains. Just not to your face. She complains when she has to touch any surface that we've had sex on."
Mellie actually snorts at Liv's confession. "Well that's unfortunate because we've had sex in a lot of places." Mellie's phone vibrates and she lets out a sigh. "That's Huck. I have to go or the White House will crumble in my absence." Olivia walks Mellie to the door and hands Mellie her coat. "This is what I wanted right? To be the leader of the free world."
"It is. It's what the people wanted. It's what I wanted. We all voted for you, Mellie. It may be hard now but it'll get easier and even if it becomes more difficult I'll still be here."
Mellie kisses Olivia before Huck enters the room again and insists that Mellie to come with him. When Mellie gets into the car, she's surprised to see Fitz sitting inside. He's wearing a black suit and his hair has finally grown back from when the hospital shaved it for his surgery.
"What are you doing here?"
"Liv texted me. She wanted me to make sure you got back to the White House safely so Harrison picked me up. I've been waiting out here for almost 30 minutes."
"Olivia thinks that someone is going to try to assassinate me during my presidency."
"Someone probably will. America hates women."
Mellie can't help but let out a small chuckle at Fitz's statement.
During the car ride back to the White House, Mellie pulls out a piece of paper that she's been holding on to for the last fourteen years. It's the note that Olivia left on her nightstand along with the wedding ring all those years ago. The paper is wrinkled. She had balled it up and thrown it away the morning she had first read it. She dug it out of the trashcan three days later. She unfolds the paper and reads the seven letters over again for what feels like the millionth time.
The thin piece of paper reads: You'll make an excellent president some day.
And Liv was right.
Mellie only serves one full term in the White House. She hates being away from Liv too much to spend another four years in that place. She manages to get a new gun control law passed during her presidency. Her and Liv get married in Hawaii with Fitz as her maid of honor (he's ok with that title) and with Abby as Olivia's. Mellie's mother attends the wedding and cries the entire time. Neither of Olivia's parents show up. Huck was more than happy to walk her down the aisle. Olivia and Mellie adopt a beautiful baby girl from Ethiopia. Olivia attempts to learn how to cook and Mellie determines that being married to Liv is a lot less stressful than being president.
A/N: THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS AND REVIEWS! FEEL FREE TO INBOX ME ANY MELLIVIA PROMPTS YOU THINK I'D BE INTERESTED IN.