Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal

AN: So, we've come to the end of this story. Thank you all so much for your support. This was so much fun to write! I want to especially thank those who have been reading and reviewing and just generally supporting me throughout this: KikiNicMc, noro, jennkyle, ScotchSista, Puckleberryfan82, cabapplect, freckled98, Clio1792, Cleo, Buzgen, , and LoreneMichelle41.

As of now, I'm undecided if I'm going to do another segment of this story. I will let you all know! ~ XOXO MAS

Chapter Thirty-Four: The One With the Election

Present Day - 2025

"So," Jerry leaned forward, "what did Aunt Abby and Uncle Jake hear?"

Fitz grinned and shared a conspiratorial look with his wife, "Oh, it was so good, it was almost unbelievable."

October 2008

Abby pressed her ear to the door, with Jake leaning above her.

"You weren't followed, were you?" A deep female voice echoed.

"No, we weren't." Hollis assured her, "How you been, Verna?"

Abby glanced up at her husband, "Verna?" She mouthed. Jake just shrugged and motioned back to the door.

"I'll be better when we get this done with, now does Reston know what you have planned?" Verna asked.

"Not a clue." Hollis chuckled, "Verna, this here is Jesse Tyler, the man who is going to steal us a president."

Jake looked down wide-eyed at his wife, "Steal a president?" He echoed in a soft whisper. Abby pressed a finger to his lips, indicating he should be completely silent.

"Show her the chip, boy." Hollis demanded.

"I'll put this in one of the voting machines in a town called Defiance, Ohio." Jesse explained.

Abby's eyes widened and she dug in her purse, switching on a recording app and holding it to the door.

"Why Defiance, Ohio?" Verna asked.

"It's a swing state. If we win Ohio, we'll win the election." Hollis explained.

"Now, how does the chip work?" Verna asked.

Jesse cleared his throat, "Every five votes for Grant will be altered internally, three votes for Reston, two for Grant." He paused, "I'll go there and put it in one of those new electronic voting machines."

"And Reston doesn't know?" Verna asked.

Hollis scoffed, "Please, Reston wouldn't agree to it no matter how much he wants to win."

"When does this go down?" Verna asked.

"I'll fly out there just days before the general election, after they've tested the machines." Jesse informed them.

Jake leaned back, "We're out of here." He mouthed, grabbing his wife's wrist. They said nothing until they were back in the car, "Did the recording catch that?" He asked hopefully.

Abby fiddled with her phone and pressed play.

"Why Defiance, Ohio?"

"It's a swing state. If we win Ohio, we'll win the election."

"Now, how does the chip work?"

"Every five votes for Grant will be altered internally, three votes for Reston, two votes for Grant. I'll go there and put it one of those new electronic voting machines."

"And Reston doesn't know?"

"Please, Reston wouldn't agree to it no matter how much he wants to win."

"When does this go down?"

"I'll fly out there just days before the general election, after they've tested the machines."

Abby saved the recording. "We've got them." She held up her hand and Jake smacked it in a high-five.

SCANDAL

Present Day - 2025

"They were going to rig the election?" Karen asked with wide eyes. "They didn't really think they'd get away with it? Did they?"

"Well, they almost did." Fitz scowled.

SCANDAL

November 2008

"I don't understand, we have a recording!" Abby screeched. "Why won't the cops listen to us?"

"Because Doyle owns the cops and Verna is a judge." Huck explained impatiently. They'd identified the woman and she was a pistol. A corrupt judge was the last thing they needed.

Olivia paced around the room, "We have to get the people outraged." She surmised. "If we don't get them up in arms, then this could happen." She paused, "Where's Cyrus? Cy!" She screamed out.

"I'm here, what do you want, Liv?" He asked tiredly.

"We need a reporter. You have a friend, don't you?" She asked quickly. "I need him to leak the story. I want it in tomorrow's headlines. Top of the fold. Can you make it happen?"

Cyrus nodded, "Yeah, I can make it happen." He held out his hands, "These are just copies right?"

"Just copies." Huck confirmed.

SCANDAL

Present Day - 2025

"Who was your reporter friend?" Elise asked.

"That would be James." Cyrus pointed to his husband.

SCANDAL

November 2008

"I don't know what you want, Cy, but whatever it is, I'm not interested." Junior Reporter James Novak pushed past Cyrus. "I'm busy, Cyrus."

Cyrus groaned, "Look, James, I get that you're upset, but"

"Upset?" James snapped, "I don't like being anyone's dirty little secret, so no, I'm not interested."

Cyrus scoffed, "This is not about us, this is about the campaign. I have a story and I need the people to hear it." He held up an envelope, "Just read through this, do the research you need to do, and get this out there before the election."

SCANDAL

Present Day - 2025

"So what happened?" Sammy asked, "Did Uncle James publish the story?"

"Dear God, I've lost them all." Harrison moaned, "All of them are into this story and I'm all alone, wandering in the woods by myself."

"Oh my God, you're such a whiny, dramatic thing. You're definitely worse Abby ever has been." Brenda teased.

"My wife is mean." Harrison cried out.

"Okay, please, Uncle Harrison, be quiet, I want to hear what Dad did." Ella tucked her feet under her, "Please, continue."

SCANDAL

November 2008

"I've got it!" Cyrus called out, "He did it!" He waved a copy of The Post around, "And above the fold." He tossed a copy of the paper on the kitchen counter. "An entire article about voter fraud!"

SCANDAL

Present Day - 2025

"Did the cops do anything then?" Jerry asked.

"Why yes, yes they did." Fitz grinned.

SCANDAL

November 2008

"Oil tycoon Hollis Doyle and Judge Verna Thornton have been arrested, along with Cytron technician Jesse Tyler, in their attempt to rig the 2008 Presidential Election. It appears that presidential hopeful, Governor Samuel Reston of Maryland, was unaware of the attempted election fraud. The police are not pursuing him as an accessory."

Olivia flicked off the television, "Well, it looks like Reston is still in the running."

"Not really," Quinn came into the room, tossing a stack of papers on her desk, "his poll numbers are way down. With two days before the election, there's no doubt that Fitz will be the next President."

Olivia flipped through the poll numbers, "The numbers are great. Let's go tell Fitz."

SCANDAL

"In a historic election, Governor Fitzgerald Grant, III has won the 2008 Presidential Election and will be the 44th President of the United States. Grant is scheduled to give his acceptance speech at 9pm EST, following Reston's concession speech."

SCANDAL

Present Day - 2025

"So that's how Dad won?" Jerry asked, "That's awesome. How did we not know that?"

"There's so much you two don't know." Olivia admitted with a yawn. "Wow, we've been at this for hours. I think it's time to call it a night."

"Finally!" Harrison stood up, "Let's go home." He glanced at his wife, "Come on, Bren, we're leaving."

"Not until we help Liv clean up." Brenda started picking up a few of the dishes.

"We'll just put them in the kitchen. I'll do them tomorrow." Olivia yawned again.

"Come on you two," she motioned to her kids, "help me get the dishes."

Karen let out a matching yawn, "Hey, Dad," she tugged on Fitz's arm, "thanks for telling us that story. It was a really good one."

He draped an arm over her shoulder, pressing a kiss to his daughter's temple. "Maybe next time everyone's over I'll tell you all about my first term in office."

"Maybe." Karen agreed, leaning down to pick up a stack of plates.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS