Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal
AN: Wow, I am overwhelmed by the love for this story. Thank you guys for sticking with me through my writing hiatus. All y'all are seriously amazing. Thank you so much. Now, on for more Olitz goodness! ~ XOXO MAS
This is the golden age of something good and right and real
Two Weeks Later – Langston Campaign Headquarters
Sally stared down at the email in front of her. She wasn't sure if what she was reading was true or not, but after the scandal with Billy, she couldn't take any chances. She wasn't sure when her campaign had turned from simple to complicated. She and Edison had run clean campaigns. It was a nice change from the typical side of politics. Neither had too much to hide and neither was willing to go digging to dredge up anything that would destroy the other's character. Even though Sally hated all Democrats on principle, Edison would not be a bad candidate for Georgia. He would take care of their people just as she would.
It was with a resigned sigh that she pushed herself up to a standing position and slowly made her way into the main room. She found Fitz hunched over a phone, showing an older volunteer how to use their phone bank system. She waited until he stepped back, "Fitz, can you come into my office?" She requested.
Fitz let out a distracted hum before following her back, picking up a clipboard with the revised schedule to review with her on the way. She shut the door behind them, "So," he began, "we've started shifting around your time up in the northwest. You're lacking there and"
"Please, sit, Fitz. We need to talk." She interrupted, motioning to one of the chairs across from her desk.
He was surprised when she took the other chair, leaning towards him, her eyes sad and her face pulled into a frown, "Sally," he began warily, "is everything alright?" It had been two weeks without any sign of Billy or Amanda. Jake and Huck said Amanda moved home to the Midwest. They would likely never hear from her again.
Sally leaned back in her chair, "I'm very sorry to do this, Fitz, but I'm afraid I have no other choice."
Fitz felt his stomach drop. He knew what those words led to, "Do what, Sally?" He asked.
"I'm afraid that I'm going to have to let you go." Her voice dropped uncertainly when she finally said the words out loud.
"What?"
"With everything that's going on, and some news I've recently heard," she paused, "I'm afraid that you're a liability to this campaign and I'm going to have to let you go."
Fitz leaned back, letting out a long breath, "I'm sorry, but did you just say what you've recently heard?" Sally nodded in confirmation, "What have you heard? What's going on?" He snapped.
Rounding her desk, Sally pulled out an envelope. "Here is your last pay check." She held it out, "I'm sorry, Fitz."
Fitz hesitated, realizing quickly that Sally wasn't going to answer any questions he had. He took the envelope with a mumbled thanks and good luck before moving back into his office to collect a few of his belongings. He exited out the back to avoid speaking with Leo or Jake. He needed to find Olivia, he needed to know what would've made Sally fire him with no warning.
SCANDAL
"What?" Olivia sighed as she picked up her phone. Super Saturday was just around the corner and thanks to the Billy sideshow they were running behind schedule.
"I need to see you." Fitz murmured.
"Fitz, I'd love to, but we're busy. Aren't you busy? There's no way that you're anymore prepared for Super Saturday than we are." She snapped.
"Olivia," she paused at how serious he sounded, "it's important. I'm already in the parking lot."
She looked up to find his car parked next to hers. She let out a grunt and hung up, waving off another staffer to head towards Fitz's car. She climbed in and faced him, "What happened now?" She asked.
He ran a hand through his hair, "I got fired."
A bark of laughter escaped Olivia, "Funny, Fitz. If you wanted a nooner you could skip the dramatics and just kiss me already. You know I have zero self-control where you're involved anyhow." She leaned over the center console to kiss him, but he lightly shoved her back. She frowned, "Fitz?"
"I'm serious, Liv." He handed out the envelope with his final paycheck in it.
With wide eyes she asked, "What the hell? Did Sally say why she fired you?"
"She said she heard some things. . ." his voice trailed off, "I'm just not sure what she would've heard."
Olivia let out a growl, "Well, she's about to hear a lot from me." She moved to throw open the car door, but he stopped her. "Let go, Fitzgerald. I'm going to go kick her scrawny little southern ass all the way to California."
"Olivia, I don't need this reaction from you." He murmured, "I need you to help me figure out what she could've heard and who could've talked to her. Please?" He requested. "I need a gladiator. Not an angry girlfriend."
Taking four deep breaths, Olivia nodded, "Alright, I can do that." She agreed. "Did she give you anything else?"
He shook his head no, "There was an email on her desk she was doing her best to hide."
"Email. That's hackable. That's Huck." She nodded, "Look, I'm going to send him to your apartment." She laced their hands together and gave his a gentle squeeze, "No sulking. We'll figure this out." She promised him.
He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers, "Thank you, Liv. For some reason, I don't trust Jake to figure this out."
She shrugged, "I don't trust him either." She agreed, "Huck will handle it." She promised before leaving him alone in his car with a parting smile.
SCANDAL
Huck was uncomfortable. He did not like interacting with people outside of Olivia, Quinn, Abby and Harrison, and the latter three were a stretch for him on a good day. He certainly did not want to sit in Fitz's apartment and hack into Sally Langston's computer to find out who was working to get him fired. It had to be Billy. All roads led back to the maniac who wanted to destroy them all because Sally was going to lose the election. It was the only thing that made sense.
Still he was sitting at Fitz's kitchen table while the man aimlessly tidied up his already spotless apartment. "You sure I can't get you anything?" Fitz finally asked again.
"I'm fine. I'm in." Huck responded.
"You're in?" Fitz asked, skidding to the table and pulling a chair out with a loud screech.
Huck just barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "Yeah." He shuffled through her email, finding it at the bottom of her inbox. Flagged. It was like she wanted it to be found.
"Who's it from?" Fitz asked impatiently.
"Anonymous." Huck replied, opening up a new tab on his computer and typing what looked like a set of random numbers in.
"How will you find out who it is?" He asked.
"I'm working on it." Huck replied, "And space is helpful."
Fitz let out a low snort and stood, "Fine, I'll do some laundry." Huck breathed out an audible sigh of relief when Fitz stepped away and for a moment Fitz was left wondering if maybe he should've just trusted Jake to begin with.
SCANDAL
Abby hung up her cell phone and narrowed her eyes in on Olivia, "How come you didn't tell me?" She asked, approaching her friend with a frown, "Why did I have to hear from Leo who didn't even hear it from Fitz? He heard it from Sally when she promoted Jake."
Olivia dropped her clipboard, "She promoted Jake?" Olivia asked sharply.
"Yeah, Liv, what the hell is going on?"
"I don't know yet, but Huck is trying to find out. So, shh, shh, quiet, like a bunny." Olivia muttered before going off in search of Quinn and Harrison. When she found them, she pulled them and Abby into one of the offices. "Quinn, I need you to run a full background on Jake."
"On Jake?" Quinn echoed, "Why? What's happening?"
"Abby, Harrison, you're going to tail him. I want to know every step he takes." She ordered.
"Okay, I get not really liking Ballard, I mean I don't trust the guy," Harrison spoke up, "but why are we suddenly upping surveillance on him?"
"Because he just replaced Fitz. And I want to know why." Olivia responded sharply, "Now, full cylinders people." She ordered.
SCANDAL
"Olivia?" Edison popped his head into her office, "Can I ask you a question?"
She nodded and set her pen down, "What's up?"
He shut the door and moved to sit on the edge of her desk, "Did you hear that Sally Langston fired Fitz Grant?"
She nodded, "I'm looking into why." She admitted.
Edison's head fell to the side, "Do we care why?"
"I don't know yet. I'm not sure what's going on, but she said she heard something that made her not trust him and"
"Since we trusted him to handle Billy this could affect us." Edison finished. He stood, "Keep up the good work. Our poll numbers are way up right now."
She smiled, "Thanks. Don't worry, we'll get you in office." She promised.
"I don't have anything worry about with you at the helm." He paused in the open doorway, "Is there any other reason you may be looking into why Grant got canned?"
Olivia arched a brow at him, "Why? Do you think there's another reason?"
"Don't answer a question with a question, Olivia. That delay tactic is beneath you." He raised a brow and waited.
Olivia sighed, "Fine. I guess full disclosure is a better policy."
"I know you've been seeing him. I'm not an idiot, Olivia." He murmured. "Besides, I saw the two of you sneak out hotels a time or two." He paused, glancing down at his loafers, "Are you happy?"
She smiled softly at him, "Very."
"And when you weren't happy and working far too much?" He asked.
"We weren't together." She replied.
He nodded, "Alright. Help him out." He agreed, "But make sure I win this election." He playfully warned.
"Consider it handled, Senator." She grinned back. The ringing of her phone was Edison's cue to salute her and leave, shutting her office door behind him. "What?" She asked.
"The email. It came from Jake Ballard." Huck replied.
OUAT
XOXO
MAS