Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal
Chapter Ten
Olivia leaned back, "Cy, we need a shot of something." She glanced down at the poll numbers. "Anything at this point." She grumbled.
Mellie pulled up a chair at the conference room table Olivia, Cyrus, and Stephen were flipping through poll numbers and projected poll numbers. "I know what will help."
Olivia arched a brow, "Really? And what would that be?"
"Big Jerry." Mellie answered simply.
Stephen scratched his head, "That's his father right? The Senator? Why isn't he here anyhow?"
Cyrus was already shaking his head and he ignored Stephen's question, instead addressing Mellie, "As much as I want to do that, because trust me, I do, Fitz will never go for it." He grunted, "You should know that better than anyone. You've seen how they act together."
Olivia frowned, "Why not? It's genius? I was wondering why he wasn't on the trail with us. I actually thought that maybe his health wasn't really that good. I mean, he seemed fine when I met him, but it was only for a few hours." Her voice trailed off. "Mellie, if you think you can convince Fitz to bring his father on board, I think it's a great idea."
Mellie beamed, "Perfect, I'll handle it."
SCANDAL
Olivia cringed from her place by the elevators in the hotel in New York City. "No!" Fitz's voice echoed down the hallway. "Absolutely not."
Sighing, Olivia darted down the corner, stopping when she saw the first couple of California staring at each other, both in determined stances with their arms crossed. She hadn't heard them going at it like this in a while. If they had, they'd hidden it. The last time she'd been privy to one of their arguments that was this big and this loud was when she changed their schedules and brought Stephen on board. That was a while ago now. It was clear they were at a stalemate. "Then we might as well just throw in the towel now." Mellie sneered, "You need to use your father. People love your father. He's political gold."
He growled, "I don't love him and I don't want him here." He snapped, "And of all people in my life, you should be the one who knows and understands why I don't. I shouldn't have to explain this to my wife."
Noting that this was about to get way out of hand, Olivia stepped forward, "I would just like to point out that your voices are carrying, and we are not the only people staying in this hotel. You two need to take this to a room and keep it down."
Mellie let out a grunt, "You talk to him, Olivia. At least he seems to listen to you."
Olivia opened her mouth to protest, but Mellie was already pushing her key card into their room door. Fitz snatched her arm and tugged her in the opposite direction, to the room he knew she was staying in. "Open it." He demanded.
Sighing in resignation, Olivia dug her key out of her back pocket and pushed the door open, "Look, Fitz, your father is a national treasure," she began, "if you can just play nice with him for a couple of weeks, it could really give us the push we need so the campaign isn't on life support anymore. You have political capital, start using it." She turned, "And"
His lips were on hers in the next moment. At first it was a hard, bruising kiss that caused Olivia to let out a squeak of surprise. He immediately slowed it, though. One hand raising to card through her hair, the other wrapping around her waist, landing on the small of her back to hold her against him. For a brief moment she thought about pulling away, but the thought flitted away quickly as she sunk into the kiss.
Her knees nearly buckled at the intensity and the emotion behind it. Her hands gripped his biceps to steady herself, pulling her body flush against his so they were connected from hip to lips.
When he pulled back she let out a small mewl of protest, followed by a soft, "Fitz."
"I know I shouldn't have," he commented, "but I have been holding back that for what feels like a lifetime."
Olivia raised her hands, cupping his face, "I know," she reached up, brushing her lips lightly over his, "me too." She murmured. She pressed a firmer kiss to his lips. This time he let her control the pace.
When they pulled back, he let go of her, putting some space between them. "I'm not sorry." She snorted at his words. "I just want you to know that I'm not sorry about it."
She shook her head and moved to a chair, sinking down into it. She decided to ignore that statement because honestly, she didn't feel very sorry for it either. She'd been wanting to kiss him (and more) for so long, it actually felt good to just let go and do what she wanted instead of what was right for a change. Burying that thought, she focused in on the issue at hand, "Why don't you want him here, Fitz?"
He ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand on end and she fought the urge to tug him towards her so she could smooth it out, and perhaps smooth out some of his frayed emotions while she was at it. "Because I don't want this to be his campaign." He began, "And because I want to do this without him."
She sighed and held out her hand. He moved to her automatically, sitting in the chair next to hers, "It's still your campaign. And just because he's here, doesn't mean we have to do a damn thing he says. We work for you. I just think the optics of him in the crowd at some of your events would be great. And who knows, maybe he'll say something that sparks an idea that we can run with." She squeezed his hand, "If you really don't want this, we don't do it. I just think it would be a mistake not to try it."
He glanced down at their twined hands, "Just try it." He echoed.
"A test run. Just two weeks. If you can't stand him, if it doesn't work for you, then we ship him back to California." She promised.
He sighed, "Fine. I'll call my father." He relented.
SCANDAL
The next morning, Olivia was asking Fitz questions that could be expected at the town hall meeting with Sally Langston. Fitz was rattling off numbers on a tax increase when, "No, I won't pay that. I like my money and I don't want to give it to the government." Echoed throughout the room.
Fitz sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Hello, Dad." He called out, his voice monotone. Olivia stared worriedly at him. He wouldn't tell her what was wrong, he wouldn't discuss his relationship with his father at all with her the day before. Now she was regretting siding with Mellie at all. It seemed like a good idea to have Big Jerry around, but perhaps it was a really bad idea and she shouldn't have done it.
"Jerry!" Mellie beamed as she stood, dashing to the older man's side, "We're so glad to have you here." Olivia watched the scene play out in front of her. It appeared Mellie didn't even really like her father-in-law. Her gut was absolutely hopping. She tried to push down the feeling that she should've listened to Fitz right off the bat when he said no, and squashed the idea in its infancy.
Instead, she stood, smoothed out her slacks and walked confidently up to him, "Senator Grant, it's an honor to meet you. I'm Olivia Pope."
SCANDAL
Olivia wrapped his arm around her shoulder and did her best to steady him. He was over six feet tall, twice her weight and all of that weight was dead weight right now.
Fitz wasn't just drunk.
He was absolutely hammered.
"You're beautiful, did you know that?" He murmured in her ear.
She grimaced at the smell of scotch on his breath, "Jesus, Fitz, you could light a fire with that breath." He laughed and she tipped his head away from her, "I'm just going to get you to your room."
"I don't want to see Mellie." He grumbled.
"She's still downstairs with Cyrus and the rest of the team. I'm handling you."
"You could handle me in any way you want." He tried for what he thought was a seductive look.
Olivia burst out laughing and propped him up against the wall. Fishing in his pocket, she found his wallet and key card. "Did you really think that line would work?" She snorted, "You're so drunk."
"You drank too!" He accused.
Rolling her eyes, she propped the door open, "Nowhere near as much as you." She laughed again, "Come on, drunk Romeo, get inside."
When the door shut, he faced her, "We are star crossed lovers, aren't we?" He asked.
He was so serious, Olivia simultaneously wanted to laugh and cry at his statement. "Look, Fitz, you're drunk. Go to bed. Sleep it off and we can discuss everything tomorrow. I promise. And since he's here, just try to play nice with your dad before the meeting. Let's get a couple of good photo ops?"
"It's all about the optics." He threw himself on the bed. "You know the man ran around on my mom. My tenth birthday I sat outside his office and listened to him bang his secretary."
Leaning against the wall, Olivia murmured, "I'm so sorry, Fitz."
He shrugged, "Mom got away from him before she died."
"I would've loved to have met her." Olivia admitted.
"She would've loved you. She'd be telling me to divorce Mellie and be with you right and proper." He propped himself up, "You know, I will do that." He told her honestly. "You say the word, Livie, you tell me that you're in this and I'll divorce her."
Olivia swallowed hard. "Go to sleep, Fitz." She fled from the room quickly. When she was in the safety of her own room, she closed her eyes wondering what she'd gotten herself into.
SCANDAL
XOXO
MAS