This story is inspired by Season 1 Scandal, Vermont and the Olitz actors – Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn

NO-Mellie and NO-Joke: Public Service Announcement for any accidental non-Olitz readers


In the corridors of Capitol Hill

"I do recall that you were against impeaching the President a few short months ago," The Senate minority whip observed wryly as ex-Senator Edison Davis fell into step beside him.

"There's more meat on this bone. It's not a trumped up charge of insanity because the man wanted to divorce his wife while in office."

"The official party line was PTSD."

"As evidenced by the fact the man wanted to divorce his wife. That's not a crime, but this is - a crime that falls under the High Crimes and Misdemeanor provisions."

"You're accusing him of being a terrorist, because he cooked up a bogus plot to start a war. Is the CIA aware that you're putting the boss on trial for their actions?"

"The CIA wasn't involved. This was a private contract. They're not happy that he went outside the usual channels."

"Ah, the vigilante angle. You'll focus on the fact that we have an approved system for overthrowing other people's governments and fucking up their economies; and that there'll be chaos if we start privatizing death and destruction to a bunch of mercenaries and bounty-hunters."

"Yes."

"I reckon it's a waste of money to kick a man who is already on his way out."

"He's popular."

"With a bunch of college students who don't vote, and minorities whose electoral boundaries have been gerrymandered so their votes don't count."

A muscle flexed in Edison's jaw but he kept on smiling. "Grant has a way of rising like a Phoenix no matter what gets thrown his way."

"If he rises from this one, he'll get a church built after him."


House and Senate Representatives hear from their electorates …

"You gonna let them impeach our President? What the hell is wrong with you people? Okay, sure the guy did turn his back on the party that got him elected, but that lunatic Langston detained him in New Mexico like he's some Mexican kid crossing the border to escape the drug wars. I mean what the hell was all that? Then she went and declared Martial Law like we're some gotdamned South American dictatorship made in the USA. We import tyranny, we don't install 'em for domestic use …"

"Listen Mister, I ain't wasting my dime and your time on pleasantries. What's all this nonsense about impeaching the President because he bombed a couple of embassies to start a war? This country was built on war. Our damned economy will not survive without war! The right to bear arms and shoot at will is enshrined in our Constitution! Hell, we've been killing dissenters and trouble-makers in the name of Democracy ever since Edward Bernays showed that fool Woodrow Wilson how to sell war to the public in the name of freedom…"

"I don't like war, the idea that war can achieve world peace is counter intuitive. You know I fought my country, I had no choice, it was during Vietnam, I was drafted before I could cross the border to Canada. Lost my legs and most of one arm. I can't get a job. I can't sleep. I've been homeless for the last twenty years. Then along comes this guy with his pretty little wife and I got a roof over my head. The First Lady's people even got me a job answering phones at a lost dogs home. That's where I'm calling from… my boss wants to have a word when I'm done..."

"If you impeach the President, I want the ten dollars I paid to your campaign contribution. Oh, you trying to give it back like it's nothing? Well, let me tell you something – all I could afford to feed my kids was cereal and soda that week. Now you're wasting my cash getting rid of the guy who wants greedy bastard bosses in their big, shiny corporate offices to pay us decent folk a living wage. How many of them have even heard of you? You think you gonna survive without folk like me?…"

"I haven't been writing cheques to keep you in office all these years, so you can now turn around and impeach a President on the Cosh Brothers say so. I always knew those boys would be trouble, Bad blood: their father made his wealth off the Soviets, and their uncle joined Rockefeller in funding the Nazis with all that Eugenics 'Master Race' nonsense. We can't let them ruin the country any more than they have already…"


Dissenters meet on Capitol Hill with key supporters of the resolution to impeach President…

"I don't know about Grant, but it sure looks like I'll be out of a job at the end of all this."

"We are the people's representatives, not the people's puppets – the right to bear arms and defend the security of the American people does not mean we have the right to unilaterally explode bombs in other sovereign nations."

"Save your speeches for the Security Council, asshole! We can bomb whoever we gotdamn like and everyone knows it! But I depend on the minority vote. I can't look like I wanted the President to bomb Africans in Africa, when we have cops shooting Africans dead in America on a daily basis."

"Blacks."

"Blacks, Mexicans, Indians – it's a gotdamned shooting range on our public streets."

"Bombing defenceless countries is what our economy depends on. We've been doing it since WWII. We pay guys to be terrorists so we can start a war in a country with an unfriendly government, we bomb these guys, then we get our friends to join our bombing campaign, and both our friends and enemies buy US weapons. In the process, we install a puppet regime that allows to carry out a perpetual war in the region, so we can steal their resources and keep dropping bombs."

"It's like gun sales increasing after a shooting massacre – Wall Street depends on this domino effect of escalating mayhem. And let me point out that starting a civil war in another country beats having one ourselves."

"Yeah, the only way we can make people more American is by breaking down all the systems that make them all so foreign."

"You're forgetting that Langston tried to do break down our systems too – she suspended habeas corpus, in addition to having the bright idea of making government assassinations and indefinite detention of American citizens legal."

"She was medicated by her gay husband. It wasn't her fault."

"That's always the white man's defence – drugs or the Devil made me do it."

"Oh here we go again. The race card. That's the black man's trope for everything."

"Will you quit that, damnit, we're talking about impeaching a President not, starting race riots in here!"

"You can't keep race out of this! That Gains tied this mess to the Black Lives Matter movement. She knows better than that! No lives matter when the greenback is involved!"

"You know what they'll be asking for next – reparations."

"The Manzanians and Denyans?"

"No, Blacks everywhere. We'll be bankrupt!"

"Oh you mean we'll get paid for 200 years of work with no wages! Well damn, that's the kind of redistribution of wealth I like!"

"Hey—!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey!"

[Scuffle avoided, members sit glowering at each other from across the table]

"Can we drop the race talk? Grant said he's black. He's a black man who got a hired gun to bomb American assets, killing several hundred black folk in Africa as collateral damage. There weren't any of us white folk involved... What? What's with all that eye-rolling?"

"The leadership of both parties support this resolution."

"Giving white folk the usual get-out-of-jail-free pass?"

"No! No! Impeaching Fitzgerald Grant!"

"And the CIA supports it too?"

"The CIA is turning on the President? The man is their boss."

"So we can bomb countries with impunity as long as it's commissioned to the CIA, which is on the Federal payroll. But not if it is a private contractor, who hasn't been approved by Congress.'

"That sums it up perfectly."

"All those in favour say 'Aye'!"

"""""Aye!"""""

"Motion approved."

"What about the 'Nays?"

"One 'Nay' noted."

"There's two, no three… wait four…!"

"The 'ayes' have it."

"This system sure is fucked."

"Tell that to your elected representative."


House Investigates: The chairman of the house Judiciary Committee calls on the committee to initiate a formal investigation into the 23 articles of Impeachment.

"They want you out," Sam Broadhurst told Fitz bluntly on the golfing green. Sam's son, TJ Broadhurst had finished his internship at the White House and was now working on Wall Street.

"Who's they?"

"The Cosh Brothers."

"The Cosh Brothers?" Fitz stopped mid-put. "That explains the deep freeze."

"It's not as deep as you think, but the power brokers are in control."

"You're telling me I should get used the cold because there's no thaw setting in any time soon."

"Not even with global warming."


Impeachment Hearings Begin: President Fitzgerald Grant responds in writing to the 120 questions submitted by the committee.

"It's brilliant when you think about it. Hollis set the whole thing up, and he knows exactly what evidence to present to make me look guilty."

"Are you enjoying this?" Olivia glared at Fitz, as they left the Roosevelt Room after the meeting with their legal teams and White House counsel.

He suppressed his smile. "No of course not. I was just admiring the strategy that's all."

"I don't know why I didn't see this coming," Olivia muttered, almost to herself.

Fitz halted abruptly, pulling her aside along the passageway before raising his hands to cup her face. "This is not your fault."

Recalling that brief flash of hatred on Edison's face, Olivia wasn't so sure.


House Rules: Judiciary Committee sends a new resolution to the full house recommending President's impeachment under the provisions for High Crimes and Misdemeanors. The Committee has determined that impeachment is warranted three acts relating to breaking the law; abuse of power; and violations of public trust

"Is Dad going to jail?" Karen asked at the dinner table, where yet again Fitz and Olivia were missing. Felicia was finishing a photo essay of White House artifacts for the Smithsonian.

"Impeachment usually means a removal from office. I don't think Fitzgerald will go to jail," Rowan said gently.

"What's a High Crime and Misdemeanor?"

"Whatever Congress wants to make it."

"But shouldn't a high crime be something really, really big?"

"Like dropping bombs on Africa?"

"Dad wouldn't have had anything to do with those bombs going off in Denya and Manzania; he's not a terrorist."

"He dropped bombs on Lushan."

Rowan turned in his chair to stare down Jerry, but Jerry refused to look up from his phone.

"Jerry, your father was keeping America safe by attacking the factory that was making chemical weapons."

That brought Jerry's head up. "Except they weren't making chemical weapons. The factory was making medicine for poor people. Some guy wrote to me, saying he can't afford medicine for his cancer after Dad destroyed the factory."

"Your father did not know that at the time he took action."

"Isn't Dad supposed to be spying on everyone? What's the point of that if he gets his facts wrong? And I kind of like the argument that Dad isn't above the law just because he's President."

"A President can't function when his every move is questioned."

"That's what Kings used to say - you don't see many of them around, except when they're getting married or taking their kids out to meet the peasants. A President in a democracy has to tell people what he's up to because he's our representative. He represents 'we, the people'; we are his boss, and I know for a fact that we didn't tell Dad to bomb that factory."

"Jerry, you don't vote," Karen muttered, sneaking away his phone.

"But he does make an interesting point," Rowan murmured, "A President is a representative of the people and he needs to answer to the people for his actions. Even though you and Jerry don't vote, his actions today will impact the world you inherit tomorrow. How do you feel about that? Do you agree with what your father did?"

Karen stayed silent for a long time, then admitted reluctantly, "I don't like what he did. But what if he made a mistake?"

"In that case, don't you think it's even more important that we look at how those mistakes happened? We need to see how those mistakes can be prevented in future."

"For the sake of 'we the people'," Jerry muttered.

"It says here that we haven't really impeached a President to have him removed from office." Karen said looking at Jerry's phone.

"Yeah, when Dad gets impeached, that will be a first." Jerry took his phone back.

"When?" Rowan frowned.

"Okay, 'if'," Jerry corrected.

"Did Uncle Cyrus have anything to do with this?"

Both Rowan and Jerry turned startled to stare at Karen, who kept her gaze steady, even as a blush crept up her neck. "Uncle James said Uncle Cyrus had done something really bad, that's why they had to go to Africa."

Rowan and Jerry looked at each other, then Rowan said slowly, "I see."


House Votes: A majority in the House of Representatives vote to impeach the President under three general categories: 1) exceeding the constitutional bounds of the powers of the office; 2) behaviour grossly incompatible with the proper function and purpose of the office; 3) employing the power of the office for an improper purpose or for personal gain.

"This is moving too fast." Olivia said, watching Teddy cycle around the Oval Office rug.

Fitz, seated on the edge of the Resolute Desk next to her, murmured, "It's a foregone conclusion."

"No one wants to throw us a lifeline."

"They don't want to sink with us."

"We're not going down." She turned to him.

He smiled, leaning in to press a lingering kiss on her lips.


Screaming Headlines…

Congress votes to impeach Grant: In a surprising move the House of Representatives, controlled by the Republicans, voted to impeach their former golden child, President Fitzgerald Grant. Punters say the action is an indication of how much the President has lost favour with his former party since he began campaigning against party platforms on guns and defence spending

They want him out: House Republicans have voted to impeach President Fitzgerald Grant. Political experts are saying this is a move to get rid of a popular President in favour of their unpopular candidate who is polling badly with moderate and liberal voters.

House decides on impeachment: Resolution to impeach President passes House of Representatives. The speaker has confirmed that the Articles of Impeachment have been passed to the Senate for an official trial…


White House chief-of-staff's office

In the chief-of-staff office, Olivia paced the carpet, barefoot, with the phone stuck to her ear. "So the husband angle didn't work?"

"No," said Abby, "Let's just say sanctity of marriage is a novel concept for both of them. Her husband knew about her affair with Edison, but the guy doesn't care because he's registered on one of those dating sites for married people. But it's okay I can work with that."

"What have you done?"

"What makes you think I've done something?"

"I know you."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

"Abby, what did you do?"

"I felt a bit of publicity might help distract the Gains woman from whatever she's plotting with Edison. I told Huck to release the information to the public."

Olivia closed her eyes for a moment, getting a bad feeling in her gut.


Breaking News…

Unknown Hacker releases account names and email addresses of upmarket dating site, Kendra Starr, a cheaters' club for married politicians and their wealthy spouses. Congresswoman Natasha Gains, who recently called for the impeachment of the President of the United States, has been caught up in the Scandal after details of her husband's account were released to the public…


Edison's Office

"Are you going to stand by him?"

"That depends…" Natasha smiled, tugging at Edison's tie.

"On what?"

"On whether you share my opinion that you and I make a great team - in and out of bed."

Edison smiled. " Divorce doesn't have the stigma it carried before, thanks to the Grants…"

Natasha laughed. "Ironic, isn't it…?"


Olivia's Office

Olivia sighed, staring at the media photographs of Edison standing in the background as Congresswoman Gains faced the media to announce her divorce.

Then feeling his presence, she turned to see Fitz leaning against the door jamb watching her. As their gaze met, he straightened, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.

When he was close enough to touch, she murmured, "What's wrong?"

He stared at her solemnly. "I wanted to make sure you're okay… about Edison."

Olivia gave him a look half way between exasperation and amusement. "I'm okay. I'm even glad he's found someone. Or I would be if it was anyone but the woman who's trying to destroy you…"

He smiled, tugging her into the circle of his arms. "I almost believe you."

"Believe me." She tugged him down for a kiss.

When they parted, he drew back to study her face for a long moment, then with a spreading smile he kissed her again.

"You're not supposed to be happy at a time like this."

"When my wife has moved on from her ex?"

"When you're in the process of losing your job." Olivia lifted a hand to his cheek. "I don't think I can fix this."

Fitz rubbed his cheek against her palm. "I love you," he whispered. "And we're going to be okay whatever happens…"


Senate receives articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives

"We need to call Cyrus."

"No."

"Fitz, he's the only other person who knows what went down besides Hollis."

"No."

"This is not the best time to be stubborn."

"A man should be allowed to die in peace."

"Are we talking about Cyrus or your career?"

"Kiss me."

"Don't change the subject."

"Kiss me."

"No."

"Olivia."

"No–mff!"


Senate Proceedings:

- Notice that message received from House of Representatives by Senate Secretary, announcing impeachment of President and appointment of Managers

- Unanimous-consent agreement on receiving Managers and requesting the attendance of Chief Justice

- Exhibition of Articles of Impeachment Against Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, President of the United States

- Resolution by Senators to authorize taking photograph in Senate Chamber of swearing-in

- Appointment of escort committee to receive Chief Justice

- Administration of oath to Chief Justice and Members of Senate

- Resolution by Senators providing for issuance of summons to Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, President of the United States, and establishing trial procedures

- Rollcall Vote No. 1

- Writ of Summons

- Answer of Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III to Articles of Impeachment

- Trial Memorandum of United States House of Representatives

- Trial Memorandum of Fitzgerald Thomas Grant

- Replication of House of Representatives to Answer of President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III to Articles of Impeachment

- Reply of United States House of Representatives to Trial Memorandum of President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III

- Presentation of case by House Managers

- Floor plan and seating arrangements in Senate Chamber for impeachment trial proceedings


Senate setsrules for Impeachment Trial,to be headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice with House of Reps prosecuting and all Senators acting as jury

Olivia walked into the Roosevelt Room to find Fitz staring tensely at the White House Counsel and their private team of lawyers.

"What's wrong?" she asked, after closing the door.

Seeing that Fitz wasn't going to speak, one of the lawyers said abruptly, "Ma'am, you're on the list of witnesses."

"We'll object," Fitz said firmly.

There was a small silence, then another lawyer said softly, "It would be a pre-recorded deposition that would be conducted here at the White House."

"No," Olivia objected and for a moment Fitz looked relieved, until she added, "I'll give testimony live. I want the American people to hear what I have to say before my words get taken out context by soundbites."


In the Presidential limousine on the way to Friends of the Earth Benefit

Olivia could feel his eyes on her. Without looking at Fitz, she reached over and took his hand.

"I don't want you to do this," he said gruffly.

She turned then, leaning closer to stroke his cheek with her free hand. "I'll be fine."

"Olivia."

"Fitzgerald."

He gave a snort. "You sound like your father."

"How did the question and answer session go? Did he have anything useful to add to the 300-pages we prepared for you?"

"Don't change the subject."

She blinked at him innocently. Then tugged his hand towards her belly. "Bub says 'hi'," she smiled.

With a soft groan, Fitz slid his arms around her, burying his face against her throat. "Don't be stubborn. Just once, can't you do as I say."

"No," she murmured, stroking her fingers over his hair. "In this fight, I need to show everyone that I'm so totally in your corner."

He drew back, his expression resigned, exasperated and tender.

Olivia smiled, sliding her arms around his shoulders. "I win."

He gave a grunt of laughter. "You're not cute."

"I'm very cute."


Back of a Bus

Mack looked at Hollis as they sat on the back of the bus. "I just figured out how rich people get rich in this town – they don't spend their money. Not on other people, that's for sure."

Hollis smirked. "They fear a gotdamn Commie invasion if they give a dime to a beggar. And Reston's riding on a lotta hope and goose grease to the Big House. He don't win, he'll be headin' straight to oblivion."

"Ain't that where we're going."


Abandoned Warehouse

Edison was waiting under the shell of a roof, framed by graffiti on the walls, and empty soda cans, used condoms and dead rodents on the floor.

"Nice place you got here," Mack murmured, as Hollis inspected corners.

"We're the only ones here," Edison said, ignoring Mack.

"I like to inspect all the amenities myself."

"You don't trust me."

"I was raised to hard to take chances."

Edison smiled. "Let's get down to business, we don't have a lot of time to waste."

"I'm done wasting daylight and I hear you have a bright new idea."

"We need a supporting act." Edison focused on Mack for the first time.

"You looking at me? Why you looking at me? This has nothing to do with me. I'm here to watch Hollis' back."

"What did you have in mind?" Hollis drawled as Mack swung round to face him, outraged.

"You're the main event but it's not enough of a smoking gun. We need the Denyan or Manzanian side of the story. I know you said you took care of the evidence trail-"

"Hell yeah, lessons learned from Jesse Tyler."

"Who the heck is Jesse Tyler?" Mack frowned.

"A greedy little punk who became buzzard bait. Taught me I couldn't afford to leave loose ends lying around to bite my ass."

"Even if your contacts in Africa were alive we couldn't bring them to the United States, now that the Feds have an alert out to detain any Manzanian or Denyan national. But I have a suggestion."

"Spit it out, so we can chew the fat."

Edison explained.

Mack gaped, then started shaking his head vigorously. "Nope, nope, nope. That's a crazy ass plan, any shit that comes down the pipe is going to hit me straight in the face."

"It's been done before."

"We're talking about a Senate Hearing, where a person testifies under oath. Yeah, I seen C-Span. I know the drill."

"What I'm suggesting has been done before." Edison said implacably. "A young woman called Nayirah gave evidence in 1990 to the Congressional Human Rights Caucus that she had personally witnessed Iraqi soldiers taking babies out of incubators and leaving them to die during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Turns out she's the daughter of Saud Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the United States at the time, and her evidence was part of the Citizens for a Free Kuwait public relations campaign run by Hill and Knowlton for the Kuwaiti Government. It's a classic example of atrocity propaganda."

"Yeah. She got caught lying."

"It didn't matter. The public bought the lie. Saddam Hussein is dead and we've been at war with Iraq since 2003. The end justifies the means."


In a Safe House at a secret location

"This is going to be something that comes back and bites us in the butt." Mack removed the headphones through which he was listening to a Denyan man speak English.

"You're actin' as scared as a sinner in a cyclone," Hollis called out from the motel bathroom where he was trying out various glasses and beards. "You ain't Mz Sally Langston. Start actin' like the Denyan star of this show I need you to be. I told you this was going to be the greatest actin' gig you'd get in your life."

"You save me from being a live target for an LA cop just so I'd end up on Federal terror watchlist. Maybe I should take my chances with that cop."

"The Feds will be looking for Stephen Mwangi. Not a guy who's been living on the streets."

"Why in God's name do I have to cut my hair? It's taken me years, years, to get it just the way I like it!"

"Well, damnit Mack, we all need to make sacrifices for the good of the country."

Mack stared at Hollis, who grinned. "Hey, I got your back."

"Sez the man who gets rid of evidence trails."

"You still here, ain't ya? That's always a good sign."


Executive Residence – White House

Gut instinct made Olivia pad barefoot into the living room to turn on the TV as she was brushing her teeth.

"In the news this morning, James Novak, husband of former White House Chief of Staff, Cyrus Beene has been arrested. While the police haven't released information of the charges, official sources say Mr Novak is a suspect in the suspected murder and disappearance of his husband …!"

"What?"

Olivia who'd been staring at the screen with the toothbrush in danger of falling out of her mouth, turned to see Fitz in boxer shorts, pause in the act of buttoning up his shirt to stare at the screen.

"Did they say that James has been arrested for murdering Cyrus?"

Olivia nodded, then swallowed absent-mindedly, before muttering, "I need to make some calls."


Client-attorney conference room, Maryland Police precinct

Abby and Quinn stared at a miserable looking James.

"This room is bugged," Abby murmured.

"Is Ella okay?"

"She and her nanny are at the..uh le Maison Blanche," said Quinn.

The others both stared at her in confusion.

"What? Do you want me to do Charades so you'll get it?"

Abby twirled her forefinger at her temple, looking at James.

"I'm not crazy," Quinn said primly.

James gave a wan smile. "I didn't want to involve the... uh boss... in all this."

"She's involved. What have you told the police?"

"Nothing."

Quinn and Abby exchanged glances, then Abby blurted, "The Boss says it's time to pull the joker out of the pack."

"No," James straightened in his chair. "I want the joker to stay in the pack. It's not safe. Not yet."

Abby and Quinn looked at each other again, then said, "We'll pass on the message."


Driving back to the OPA Building

"Did that conversation make you feel like we're part of the Mafia."

"Don't make me shoot you, Lindsay, I have my Glock in my bag."

The car swerved, and Abby screeched, "Watch where you're going, you lunatic!"

"You carried your gun into the police station? Knowing that carrying a concealed weapon is illegal in DC? Are you insane?"

"Don't shout at me! I'm protecting myself - the NRA says the only way we can all be safe is we have guns to shoot the bad guys. And if you'd read anything besides food labels on candy bars, you'd know that cops are the baddest of the bad guys."


A/N: Until next time...