The voters would decide if he was the right candidate to lead them for a second term.
This change in their perspective energized them and motivated them, keeping them positive and hopeful about new beginnings. But, she also recalls the negativity they got from both Mellie and Cyrus during this period. Neither of them felt like he had a shot of winning a second term, and thought losing a reelection campaign was the worst thing that could happen for the administration and his legacy as a politician. They both considered being a one term president as an embarrassment, and unacceptable.
Despite their negativity. Olivia and Fitz kept the positivity going, and agreed to accept the outcome whatever it might be, win or lose. This infuriated Cyrus. She remembers the outrage in his eyes, and the anger bubbling up in him as he spouted his feelings about their insistence of running a clean campaign, and Fitz's refusal to play dirty. When Cyrus found out some damaging information about his opponent, which had nothing to do with politics. But was surely embarrassing enough to swing votes in their direction.
She now recalls speaking to Fitz after that disagreement with him. She told him she had plenty of knock down drag out arguments with him in the past. But, she'd never seen Cyrus that angry before. Fitz agreed with her, he was angry on a level he'd never witnessed before too. Yet, neither one of them fathomed he could possibly reach so far as to take the life of an innocent, unsuspecting child to win an election.
Regardless of what they thought at that time, fast forwarding back to the conversation she was having with Huck, It was evident they were wrong. Cyrus was in fact a political animal, who looked for every available opportunity for political advancement.
And, he knew no boundaries. He was an effective ally at times, but also a ruthless, undisciplined attack dog when left to his own devices. Political gold, is what he calls it. When he figures out an angle he knows will play well with the public and the press. And, what plays better to get votes in an election than the loss of a loved one? Especially when that loss is a defenseless, unsuspecting child, suddenly struck down in the debt of night. The more Olivia hated to believe he'd commit such an act. The more she knew it made all of the sense in the world, given the source.
Processing the reality of Cyrus' actions crushed her, it broke her down emotionally for a few reasons. One, she felt absolute guilt and regret in her heart. Because she knows while Cyrus is a part of the reason Jerry was murdered. Her father is the main reason he was killed. But for his actions; Jerry would be alive and well. So how much longer can Fitz refuse to blame her for Jerry's death, via guilt by association?
Two, she knew that the only reason her father was still alive. Was because of her. They both knew this, but didn't talk about it. Deep inside, she knew that he kept him alive because he's in love with her. And, he is afraid she will see him differently if he took his life, even if he deserved the ending. Something she's never told him, but she knows is in all likelihood how he feels.
Lastly, she couldn't help but think of how broken Ella would be; losing her father. Cyrus after all was her dad, and nobody questioned if he loved that little girl or not, or if she loved him. And, it was a given that Cyrus wasn't escaping Fitz's wrath after what he'd done. So, going home to Ella wasn't on the table, even if she and Fitz were her God parents.
These thoughts weighed heavily on her, as she did her best to process her them. And just as she figured, Fitz wasn't able to stomach the news. He immediately wedged war on Cyrus; calling for his head on a silver platter. Something she couldn't blame him for demanding.
After all, Jerry was his son. His name sake. A child Cyrus knew from birth. How could he be so callous to take his life, over a political win of the Whitehouse?
The range of emotions she saw in him that night run the gambit from sadness, anger, disbelief, to rage. You name it, he went through it they both did. However, his cries for justice and an opportunity to address Cyrus for the monster that he is was unfairly taken away. Just as Huck had revealed what he'd learned about Cyrus' past behaviors. He reserved he most chilling part of the story for last when he revealed that Fitz was unable to confront Cyrus for his actions, because he was dead.
Olivia froze in that moment when she heard his words. She too jumped to the same conclusion as Fitz, and asked, if he'd killed him. They were both surprised to learn that Cyrus took what most would figure is the cowardly way out. While leaving those behind to deal with the fallout of his actions.
Huck explained that before getting confirmation of Cyrus' involvement in Jerry's death. He had been monitoring his daily life and bank accounts for a while as Fitz requested.
And after he was put on leave from the Whitehouse, he noticed a change in some of his routine habits. Like, a car service had started taking Ella to school instead of him or Michael. When he was clearly available to do it.
Next, he saw that he'd made some large cash withdrawals, moving money around, and a few other financial changes that are not indicative of someone who plans to live life daily. Lastly, when he checked the computer history. He discovered an inquiry into the life insurance he had on him and Michael, and he started a trust fund for Ella, naming her the beneficiary of the estate. That was a final move that alerted him.
When rewinding and playing back the recordings from the taps installed in his house; he discovered a fight between Cy and Michael, from a few days prior. During the argument Michael told him he was divorcing him, because he wasn't happy, and he deserved to be happy. Cyrus didn't take his response well, and told Michael he'd leave him over his dead body.
Little did they all know, even Michael. Cyrus' words at that time were prophetic. Two days later, Huck got confirmation of Cy's involvement in Jerry's death. And hours later, he found both Michael and Cyrus in the house dead, by murder suicide.
Cyrus killed Michael, and then himself. It was evident by the two notes being left. Cyrus wanted to be sure he controlled what people would hear from him about his final thoughts. One was addressed to whom it may concern, and the other had Ella's name on it.
The one addressed to whom it may concern indicated Cyrus was fed up with living, wondering when his demons would catch up to him, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing Michael, letting him live without him.
So he felt like the only solution was to end both of their lives. He additionally admitted he couldn't deal with the idea of Fitz finding out about his dealings with Rowan, and that he had knowledge of Jerry's death beforehand. It was a full admission, acknowledging what they all knew. The second note, they left unopened. Figuring it was something Ella could read when she was older.
The news of the murder suicide was a significant and painful blow that nobody expected, to an already agonizing situation. For Fitz to find out that his longtime employee, and at times friend and foe, was involved in his son's murder. And that he killed himself to avoid facing the consequences of his actions, was more than anyone could expect to deal with at all, let alone all at once. But, these are the cards they were dealt.
Before and after the funeral. Fitz sat in his feelings, dealing with them as they came. It was like he grieved for his son all over again. Seeing her love go through this excruciating experience and be powerless to stop it, is something she didn't wish on her worst enemy. He was forced into grief for his son privately, and show some sense of sadness publicly for the man who conspired to have him killed. Because the public can never know the truth behind his son's death.
It was something that she didn't know if he would survive. He was robbed of his child, and robbed of the opportunity to confront one of the men responsible for his death, and see him appropriately punished for it. She listened as he told her through his anger; they will never truly pay the price they deserve for taking my son from him. They deserve to die by his hand. It was the first time she'd ever heard him say anything like that.
His pain was palpable; she could see his struggle, his hurt, his inability to make sense of what was happening, and all she could do was be still. Be still in the moment as he did what he could to navigate the tortured path of this situation to the best of his ability, and hope for the best. Because she was completely emotionally inept to really help him. She was painfully trapped by her own inner struggles and feelings regarding the situation.