Flashback
It was Richard's first time visiting him on the campaign trail since Olivia was his campaign manager. He all too excitedly introduced him to Olivia earlier in the day and now they were sitting together at the hotel bar, later in the night.
"So how far have you gone with her?" Richard asked.
They were a couple of drinks into the night and Fitz's tongue was loosening.
"I've only kissed her a couple of times and the last time I did it she told me not to kiss her again."
"Ouch," Richard said, feigning hurt.
"She's right, I'm a married man who's 16 years older than her. I should leave her alone."
"Are you going to?"
"If I was capable of leaving her alone I would've done that already," he said laughing then his smile slowly fell as he came to an existential realization. "I didn't know it was possible to feel like this about someone. I think about her more than I think about my daughter or about being president or anything else. It's just…heavy."
"Is it just sex?"
Fitz thought for a moment before answering.
"I'd be lying if I sat here and pretended that sex isn't something I think about…alot…she's extraordinarily beautiful and unfortunately for me every single man we've come across has made that very clear. I didn't know one woman could get so much attention from men. They swarm around her like really irritating gnats."
Richard laughed, "you're jealous and you feel threatened that at any moment one of them is gonna get her attention and she won't be available for you."
"Am I that obvious?"
Richard shook his head, "I'm gonna ask again: is it about the sex?"
"It's not really about the sex…it's about her…if that makes sense. I'm thinking about how her morning was and how her night was, I think about how she's feeling and if anything is troubling her…and it's constant." Fitz stopped and took a sip of his drink.
Richard laughed and grabbed his friend's shoulder, "this is what happens when you let Gerry choose your wife for you. You get stuck in a loveless marriage wishing you were available for the woman you really want."
Fitz laughed humorlessly, "I've been married to Mellie for 14 years. Even if I didn't marry Mellie, 14 years ago Olivia was 14 years old- I'm disgusted just thinking about it."
Richard guffawed and shook his head, "well she's not 14 years old now. She's almost 30."
"Right but still, I agreed to it. I'm not a victim here. I didn't marry Mellie for love and I never expected it or cared that we didn't have it but now that I know what the alternative is- I don't know how long I can stay married to her…even if nothing ever happens with Olivia and she leaves the campaign and I never see her again I'll still divorce Mellie."
"It makes no sense fantasizing about divorcing Mellie because that's not gonna happen anytime soon…"
Fitz nodded in agreement."I do regret hiring her though- I mean…you've seen her."
Richard laughed, "yes, she's like the sun."
Fitz sighed, "This is going nowhere good. I'm selfish, I know. I want to be the president. I want Mellie to be my convenient political wife and I want Olivia. I can't have all three but I can't leave Olivia alone."
Fitz's mind wandered back to the present as he sat in Olivia's room. It was early morning now and the doctors just brought her back to the room after treating her injuries. She had a bandage wrapped around her head and going up the side of her face. There was also one around her throat. There was some bruising under her eyes as well.
He was seething.
Aside from having to wade through the circus of media camped out in front of the hospital there was no way anyone should have gotten close enough to Olivia to touch her let alone hurt her to the degree that they had.
Olivia was sleeping and would be for a while. Abby had called him to let him know that she was coming to the hospital and to let the guards know so she could be let in and though he didn't feel like having her around, he knew Olivia would appreciate Abby being there when she woke.
When Abby arrived Tom notified him and moments later, she walked through the door. She gasped when she saw Olivia and already he was annoyed.
Abby walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek then she walked and sat on the couch.
"The news said some guys broke into her apartment- to rob her? How did that happen?"
"I'm wondering the same thing," Fitz said, tight-lipped.
Abby shook her head and began to tap her leg, obviously just as annoyed as Fitz. She sat, anxiously and after a while, she began to speak.
"Have you noticed she's changed?"
Fitz didn't readily answer.
"She used to be a lot more funny, a lot more fun. It's like her personality just disappeared. I tried to figure out why- if it was because she is a mom now or because of Luna's cancer but really it was because of you."
Fitz shook his head but didn't respond, refusing to engage with her.
"I remember it was after her 29th birthday and we surprised her. I remember it specifically because it's when I kind of knew something was going on between you two. You watched her the entire night- you never took your eyes off her. After the party when we went back to her room I asked her about you two and she admitted it and she cried because she was so in love with you but she didn't think there'd be a future. She didn't think you'd ever leave your wife," she paused. "I remember she said something to me that I'd never forget. She said she was gonna enjoy the ride until you ripped her heart out and obviously she was right because eventually you did..and I still don't even know why because she never told me.
I think that's when her personality changed. If I really think about it- that's when. She told me she was pregnant before she told you and she was so nervous about telling you." Abby paused, "After you dumped her and said those awful things to her, she was catatonic for a week. It got so bad we had to break down the door of her bathroom because she locked herself in there. She wouldn't eat and she'd barely drink water-"
"Please stop-" Fitz groaned.
"-Why should I? After everything you put her through?"
Fitz didn't answer and hoped that Abby would leave him alone but she continued.
"I'm sorry it's uncomfortable for you to hear all the shitty things you did to my sister."
Fitz finally had enough and he leaned up from his slouched position on the couch. "Listen to me carefully, I don't answer to you and I don't owe you any fucking explanations. Everything that happens between me and Olivia - is just that- between me and Olivia. I don't need to hear your shit right now Abby so if you're gonna stay here, sit down and shut up."
Abby shook her head and huffed, "you're an asshole and I don't know what she sees in you. She's too good for you."
"I don't disagree," Fitz countered with snark.
They sat quietly from then on, until the sun began to rise and Olivia began to groan in her sleep. Fitz walked over to her and stood by her bedside, moments later she opened her eyes.
"Are you feeling any pain?" he asked.
Abby rushed over. "Liv," she said softly.
"Ouch," Olivia whispered. Her voice was hoarse. "What happened?" she squinted. "My head really hurts."
Fitz pressed the button to call the nurse.
"What happened?" Olivia asked again.
"Three guys broke into your apartment through the fire escape," Fitz said.
Two nurses walked in moments later with a team of doctors. It seemed like half the doctors on the floor arrived.
"Her head is hurting," Fitz said to them. One doctor, the one Fitz met earlier, stepped forward with a small flashlight and flashed it in Olivia's eyes.
"On a scale of 1-10, what would you rate your pain?" she asked.
Olivia groaned and then whimpered as she spoke, "7."
He turned to the nurse, "she needs something stronger- inject 5mg of hydromorphone."
The nurse nodded and headed out of the room to get the pain relief medication.
"What happened to me?" Olivia asked, hoarsely.
"You had a severe concussion at two points of impact on your skull- the back which was a basilar fracture and the side by your ear caused by a blunt object. Your ear was sliced but we were able to stitch the wound back together and your left ear drum burst, you also had a laceration behind your outer ear that we had to stitch together. Further down her neck, we had to administer stitches to the slice wound from a knife." The doctor smiled and took her hands, "We're gonna take really good care of you. We've already assured the president. We just need you to take it easy as we monitor your head injury."
"When will I be discharged?"
"We'll have to keep you for a few days at least to monitor your progress before we decide when to discharge you."
"Thank you," Olivia said.
The nurse returned with a cart carrying her pain medication and she injected it into her IV drip. When the medical team left it was just Fitz and Abby again.
Fitz took her hand and kissed it. "Do you remember anything?"
"Barely," she said, then grimaced.
"The pain medication will start to kick in soon," Abby said.
"Are the girls okay?" she asked.
"I put the twins to bed before I left," Fitz said, "they were still sleeping last time I checked in. Karen is up for school. She doesn't know but she'll probably find out soon"
"You don't remember anything at all?" Abby asked.
"It's coming back," Olivia said, "it was my fault, the guards asked to come in with me and I told them I'd be fine."
"They were supposed to make sure your apartment was safe before you stepped foot in there," Fitz said. "They shouldn't have even asked you."
Olivia grimaced and ran her hand across her bandaged ear. "God, it's burning-"
Fitz attempted to press the nurse call button but she stopped him, "give it more time," she said.
Fitz sighed and nodded.
"What else do you remember?" Abby asked.
"I don't know-I remember seeing my bedroom and it was a mess and then I think I was hit in the head. They asked me for the code to my safe- I think- it's still really fuzzy-." Then suddenly her eyes filled with tears. "One of the guards shot one of them right in front of me. His blood was on me."
"Take it easy," Fitz whispered softly, "don't strain yourself trying to remember," Fitz said.
"Do you want good news," Abby said with a smile, trying to cheer her up.
"What could be good right now?" Olivia asked.
"Brandon was arrested on revenge porn charges. They made him do the perp walk from his apartment and everything. It was on the news."
Olivia smiled, strained. "Really?"
Abby nodded, "there's nothing I love more than disgusting men getting what's coming to them."
Olivia saw Fitz make a small gesture of annoyance. It was subtle but she caught it. It was as if he took Abby's comment as a dig at him.
"How've you been?" Olivia asked Fitz, "are you okay?"
"I'm just glad you're okay," he said as he took her hand and kissed it.
"The pain is a little better now," she said.
"Good," he said as he kissed her hand again.
"So what happened to the men in my apartment?"
"One is dead, two are in custody…it was your housekeeper who told them about your jewelry and purses."
"Tina?" Olivia asked, strained.
"Yeah, they're looking for her as well but they don't have her yet. They're charging them with burglary, aggravated robbery, attempted murder, assault of someone under secret service protection last time I checked but they're adding charges as time goes by."
"I can't believe Tina would do that. She's been working with me for such a long time, she's met the girls and Sonia…"
"You can't trust anyone," Abby said.
Olivia nodded, "Fitz can you get the twins to come here? I want to see them."
"I don't think that's a good idea. I think you need to rest."
"I can't rest if I'm anxious about them- at least let me see them for a little while. They don't have to stay all day."
Fitz nodded, "sure. I'll have Sarah bring them before their midday nap."
"Thanks," Olivia said.
Fitz kissed her hand once again, "get some rest. I'll wake you when they're here."
She nodded and tried to find a comfortable spot in bed before she fell asleep soon after, thanks to the hydromorphone.
After spending 4 days in the hospital, she was discharged. They returned to the white house in the early morning to avoid the media capturing a picture of her bruised face. After having the bandages removed half her face was bruised but the swelling had gone down. Her stitches were still holding but they were to be removed in a few days by the White House physician.
Fitz laid her down on the large king bed and after he helped remove her shoes and tucked her in bed he left to take a shower.
She was tired but couldn't sleep and decided to wait for him to finish his shower. The twins were sleeping in their nursery across the hall and Karen was further down in her room beside them.
She grabbed her phone from her purse on the nightstand. It had been on airplane mode for days since it was revealed to the world that she was in a relationship with Fitz. She sat for a moment before finally deciding to take it off and as soon as she switched the setting a flood of notifications of missed calls, voicemails, and messages came in. She had thousands.
She silenced all calls and notifications and then decided to go on social media. She was bored and curious to see what people were saying about her since she'd been completely cut off from the outside for days.
She had a fake account on Twitter and the moment she logged on and went to trending topics and saw her name and a few things related to her.
"Olivia Pope."
"The new First Lady"
"The first baby mama."
"The first hooker."
"Gold digger."
"Brandon Duncan."
"Toxic masculinity."
"Lana and Luna Grant."
"President Grant."
"Olivia is a-"
She clicked her name and scrolled through the posts people had written.
"I might get heat for this but I don't care. I don't feel bad that Olivia Pope was attacked. #sorrynotsorry"
"Why does the first baby mama in U.S. history have to be a black woman? Thanks a lot Olivia."
"Only god himself could come down and tell me Olivia and Grant weren't fucking since the campaign. Grant is a dog and Olivia is a whore for sleeping with a married man."
"Not gonna lie, after seeing some of Olivia's outfits, I'd rob her too. TF."
She clicked the gold digger topic and searched through, only to find a video of Brandon from a podcast. She quickly clicked it and turned up the volume on her phone.
"Yeah, I'm sure she got the president to pull some strings to get me arrested but I made bail," Brandon said.
"Why'd you think she got you arrested?" The host asked.
"I don't know. I didn't leak those pictures. Olivia is a hoe I'm sure there are plenty out there of her."
There was laughter from all the men in the room. The one woman there didn't laugh.
"If she's such a whore why did you date her?" The woman asked.
"Of course, I didn't know that at the time?" He said.
"So how do you know that now?"
Brandon laughed, "let me guess, you're trying to call me a misogynist or something right?"
"No, I'm just curious. What exactly is it about her that makes you call her a hoe? Guys just say that as an insult and can't tell you why they think a woman is a whore other than the fact that they're angry with her."
"She climbs the ladder of men to see which one can serve her best- that's why she's a hoe. I was a resident and apparently since I wasn't making enough money she left me and traded up."
"This is where your logic falls apart- based on what you've said- when you dated her, you were a broke resident and she was a lawyer who made 1000/hr. She was a partner. Why would she date you in the first place if she was a gold digger? I'm assuming she could have better men but she chose you. Even as a doctor you wouldn't make close to what she made as a lawyer."
Brandon laughed though he seemed anxious at being called out, "that's not even what we're talking about and even so she's with a billionaire now so obviously she traded up. For as long as we dated she wasn't interested in kids but now that she's with a billionaire she popped out two child support babies."
"Maybe she wasn't interested in kids with you."
Brandon groaned but was distracted when another host asked a question."What was she like as a girlfriend?" One of the men asked.
"All I can say is the president is very happy."
Laughter filled the room again.
"Olivia knows how to ride a dick. The first time she got on top of me I was drooling and don't get me started on what she can do with her mouth- Jesus- she's so talented. We'd still be together if it wasn't for her because god knows I'd never give up blowjobs that good but the nice guys never win."
"How are you nice?" The female host said. "She breaks up with you and you tell the entire world about what she's like in bed and allegedly leak her nudes. If you're the nice guy then I'll be single forever."
"If I'm not nice then neither is she," Brandon said. "She's the biggest cunny you'll ever meet."
"I didn't even want you to come on because all you want to do is punish her for dumping your pathetic, failed doctor ass. I'm glad she traded up because you're a piece of shit and there is no way we should have you on so you can bash a woman because she doesn't want you."
Olivia ended the video. It was released two days ago. She locked her phone and wiped the tears that were now streaming down her face. By the time Fitz came from the bathroom she was sobbing and the moment he saw her, he rushed over.
"What happened?"
She was sobbing so uncontrollably that she couldn't bite back the tears to speak. His hair was wet and he had a towel draped around his waist but still, he scooped her over and laid beside her then cuddled her in his arms, holding her as tight as he could without hurting her.
"Baby, please tell me- I can't see you like this."
Olivia still didn't answer. She could form a word to begin to tell him how utterly devasted she was.
He decided to hold her and save whatever conversation they needed to have for later. They lay together in silence as hours passed and before he knew it, it was sunrise and neither of them slept.
"You didn't sleep at all," he said.
"I'm not tired," was all she said in response.
"Are you gonna tell me what happened?"
"What's the point?'
"The point is that we need to be honest with each other to get through this. Did you look online? Is that what happened."
"Have you seen what they're saying about me?"
"Olivia- you have to ignore it. People like distractions and right now, you're the distraction. You're the very pretty distraction that lets everyone forget about their own problems and focus on you. It won't last long. They'll move on to the next thing."
"Did you hear what Brandon said about me?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Did you hear it?" She asked again.
"Cyrus let me listen to it a couple of days ago."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it doesn't matter Olivia. Nothing he says matters"
"Yes, it does Fitz. You're a man, you don't understand. If some talks about how fat your dick is everyone around wants to give you a fist bump but it's not the same for me. No one is going to take me seriously anymore."
Fitz leaned up and turned to her so he could look her squarely in the eye.
"Olivia nothing he says matters because you won't let it. You can't let it get to you. That's what he wants, he wants your attention. He's angry because he doesn't have access to you anymore so keep it that way. He'll say more and more outrageous shit until even the people who hate you most won't want his stink on them. Soon either he'll be a nobody again or he'll be in jail for releasing those pictures of you."
She hated it but he was right. Brandon would only feed off her attention.
"And in 20 years when our daughters grow up and hear all these things and see pictures of me."
"You don't need to be a saint to be a parent Olivia. It's impossible."
He kissed her on the forehead and sighed.
"I bet you're tired. I kept you up all night with my crying," she said.
"I'm fine- no that's not true. I'm really fucking tired."
She smiled, "take a quick nap. I'll go check on the girls."
"No- Karen's camp family day is today. I can't miss it."
"Oh, fucking shit- I told her I was gonna go with her."
"It's okay. We talked about it. She knows you can't come now."
"Still, I feel bad."
"They will be plenty more stuff to go to. Karen has no shortage of extra-curriculars during the year so prepare yourself."
"I will," she said with a smile.
Fitz climbed off the bed and stood.
"Promise me, if this gets too much, you'll tell me. I know how it can feel- just utterly suffocating under all the pressure to be perfect and the attention and the criticism…Promise me you'll tell me."
"I will."
"And you'll stay off the internet and the news."
"I will."
He nodded and kissed her hand again before he headed off to the closet to get dressed for his day with Karen.
He left a short while later and Olivia followed him out to the twins' nursery to greet them.
Just after midday, Olivia heard screaming in the hallway. It was Karen.
"-THAT'S NOT FAIR."
"Go to your room and think about how you could've handled that differently."
Olivia opened the bedroom door and Fitz was standing right there. Karen was further down the hallway. She stepped outside. "What's going on?" She asked.
Fitz turned to Karen. "Tell Olivia what happened."
"We were lining up to play the father-daughter games at camp. A girl in the line asked me if you were here with my dad and I said no then she said good because her mother said you're a whore. So I told her to take it back and she said no so I told her that her mom is a whore and so is her ugly whore sister and she started to cry so I told her I'd take it back if she took back what she said about you and she didn't take it back so I punched her in the face."
"And?" Fitz said.
"And I kicked her."
"And?"
"I pulled out her hair."
"Yes so now I need you to go to your room and calm down and think about what you did."
Karen grunted angrily. "I'm not wrong and I'm not gonna say sorry," she barked as she stomped down the hall and walked into her room then slammed the door. Fitz watched her until she was inside then he turned to Olivia and a wide grin spread across his face.
"I'm so proud of her." He said with a smile and walked into their bedroom. Olivia followed him. "I've had to pretend to be outraged by this all day."
"You aren't mad?"
"I'm annoyed she did it in front of everyone, she could have caught her in a bathroom or something but angry? No. I have to pretend to be angry so she doesn't think it's okay to beat people up but I'm proud she stood up for herself and I'm very impressed by her righteous indignation. In twenty minutes I'll take her off whatever punishment it is that I put her on- what was that? A timeout. It was unclear."
"Fitz-"
"Where are the twins?"
"Sleeping."
Fitz looked over to the bed and saw them spread out comfortably.
"How was your morning otherwise?"
"Fitz, did you not hear what the kid said to Karen."
"I did but there's not much I can do. Karen stood up for herself. It's her last day at camp."
"Is she gonna be okay? I don't want anyone picking on her because of me."
"It was one incident at camp. Her school is very good about this so I doubt it'll happen at school but if it does then I'll handle it."
Olivia nodded. He kissed the tip of her nose and then headed back to the door. "I have to go take care of something quickly but I'll be back soon."
"Can I go talk to Karen?" Olivia asked.
"Sure," Fitz said as he headed out. He went straight to his private office and met Cyrus there as he'd planned. He sat at his desk while Cyrus paced across the room and he dialed Mellie from his secure line.
She answered on the second ring.
"I have a list of demands ready," she said.
"Demands for what?" Fitz asked.
"I know you want me to go out there and tell everyone Olivia and you weren't together until after our divorce and that Olivia and I are the best of friends blah blah blah-"
"Olivia and I weren't together while we were married. That's true."
Mellie sighed, "I'm not recording you. Anyways I'm running for Congress in California and I want you to campaign for me, donate to my super PAC and I want you and Olivia to advise me."
"Just so we're clear, these are the things you want for coming forward and truthfully telling everyone that Olivia and I never had an affair and we had your blessing to begin our relationship and that you and I had separated long before our divorce?"
"Yes and I'll need Karen for some campaign appearance."
"Yes to everything except Karen. She's almost 10 now so if you want her to pose and pretend to be your perfect little daughter then you're gonna have to start acting like a parent to her. I'm not letting her pose for your campaign photo ops unless you're actually in her life…being a decent mother to her and that takes time so no but I'll do everything else."
"What if I start taking her every two weeks- for a weekend I'll fly to D.C. and I'll book a hotel and spend time with her."
Fitz shook his head, "Mellie I want us to be on good terms. Karen is non-negotiable and the more we talk about it the more annoyed I'm gonna get because I know you aren't doing it because you actually want to spend time with her. It's a means to an end and the answer is no. You're not gonna use her."
"Here me out," Mellie said. "At least let me spend time with her. Even if she doesn't come on the campaign."
"I'll talk to her and see if she wants to see you. You haven't seen her in a long time," Fitz said.
"I know- I know but she's better off with you than she is with me. You enjoy parenting and I…I wasn't meant to be a parent. I do love her but I just…I'm usually better off loving her from afar but that's gonna change and if it doesn't work out it doesn't but let me try."
"If you do end up seeing her then there will be no cameras. No pictures. Nothing."
"Fine, that's fair."
"Do we have a deal?" Fitz asked.
"I'll find a friendly journalist now. It should be on by prime time."
"No specifics," Fitz said, "speak generally."
"I know how to lie Fitz, goodbye. I'll have my campaign manager reach out with details on my run," Mellie said before she hung up.
Fitz placed the phone on his desk and sighed.
"Why do I feel like she's gonna do the opposite."
"Because you're not an idiot," Cyrus said with a groan.
"What?" Fitz said.
"Fitz- we're in a full blown crisis. You know that right."
"I know Cyrus but what do you want me to do? Run around like my hair is on fire. The same thing happened after I divorced Mellie and people eventually got over it. Right now, Cyrus, my main priority is to protect her, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I want Mellie to do the interview so we can see what effect that has on all the noise. If it helps then we'll know exactly how to counter it."
"Is that your hope?" Cyrus asked, "People hate Olivia Fitz. To be fair, most of them are just racist online but with the other group, mostly older, white married women it's only gotten worse since her ex has been on every radio station and every damn podcast that he can find to tell the world about Olivia. Your reelection is next year and we'll need to start officially campaigning by the end of the year. We need to fix this."
"I am fixing it but let me do this my way. Olivia is hard to dislike. The fact that she got hurt does throw a wrench in my plans a bit but it'll be fine. It's just gonna take a little more time."
Cyrus sighed and nodded, "Okay, I guess I'll wait to see how this Mellie thing goes. In the meantime, what do you want me to do about the Karen situation? There is a video of it."
"During the press briefing just get Cara to tell them, vaguely, that I'll discipline Karen as I see fit and that I'm handling the issue privately."
Cyrus nodded.
Olivia knocked on Karen's door lightly and waited a few moments until she opened it. She was crying.
"Oh Karen," Olivia said softly as she hugged her. Olivia stepped in and closed the door behind her.
"Why are you crying? What's going on?" Olivia said as she leaned up from the hug.
"Dad always says that we're supposed to defend our family no matter what but when I do it, I get in trouble. I know you're not supposed to hit but she was being a bully and I'm not gonna tell her sorry."
Olivia sighed, "can we talk?"
Karen nodded and they walked to her pink couch and sat down by her tea table and set. She had a classically girly room.
"I'm sorry all the drama from our lives trickled over into yours. I hate that that girl said that to you and I hate that you had to defend me. I talked to your dad and he isn't mad at you for being angry at what she said or even trying to defend me, he just doesn't want you to react physically when someone frustrates your or makes you angry."
"I know and I didn't mean to but urghh- she was so rude."
"Do you know what a whore is?" Olivia asked.
Karen thought for a moment, "I'm not super sure but I know it's bad, it means that you do things you aren't supposed to do- but only if you're a girl- I think."
Olivia chuckled, "a whore is someone who has boyfriends for money- there's a more grown-up way to say that but it still kind of means the same thing."
"Oh," Karen said.
"As you get older you'll realize something."
"What?"
"As a woman, the easiest way for something to criticize you, or shame you or to insult you is to call you a whore, or a slut, or a skank, or anything in between. It doesn't matter if you've had no boyfriends, one boyfriend, or 50. People have been calling me a slut and whore for as long as I can remember and they say it because that's the only thing they can come up with to try to take me down just a little. They can't say I'm not smart or not pretty because- well- look at me."
Karen laughed, "Does it hurt your feelings?"
"Yeah it does, sometimes, even though I know it's not true but there's a sure-fire way to shut people up that say that."
"How?"
"Ask them why they say it and I can guarantee you they don't know why they're saying it. They'll make excuses that someone told them or whatever but you just keep asking them how they know and eventually they'll admit that they don't know."
Karen laughed, "okay, I'll try that."
Olivia leaned over and hugged her, "thanks for sticking up for me. I really appreciate it."
"Oh, I love you, Olivia."
"I love you too," Olivia said, "I hope the twins are like you when they get older. So brave and smart and so so cute."
Karen blushed and leaned up.
"When is dad coming back?"
"Soon, he said he had to go take care of something."
"Okay," she said with a sigh, "I'll pretend to be sorry so he can stop pretending to be mad at me."
Olivia laughed and stood, "That's a good plan but you might also have to apologize to take some heat off your dad.
"Ugh- fine," Karen said with a playful groan.
She headed out and found Fitz heading towards her down the hallway.
'Did she calm down?" he asked.
Olivia nodded and headed to the bedroom. She had left them with the nanny to watch over them as they slept but now they were gone and she knew they were awake and probably being fed. Fitz returned to the bedroom a short while later.
"Karen completely folded. What did you say to her?"
"None of your business," Olivia said.
Fitz walked to her and wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her legs around him. He wanted to kiss her deeply but her face was still bruised and anything more than a peck would hurt.
"So I had to make a deal- that involves you."
"What deal?"
"I agreed we'd both campaign for Mellie, advise her and fund her run for congress.
"Why?"
"She's gonna do an interview tonight telling everyone we never had an affair and that she gave us her blessing to begin our relationship."
"Really? Do you think she'd do that?"
"She will- although there's like a 10% chance she'll do the complete opposite."
Olivia smiled, "she wants me to advise her?"
"You're a great political strategist- that's not surprising."
"When will the interview come on?"
"Tonight."
"Oh-" was all Olivia said.
"So how do you feel?"
"It- it might help- at least with how the mainstream media talks about us."
"I meant physically," Fitz said with a chuckle.
"Not so bad," she said. "I don't feel like I need painkillers anymore."
"Good," he said.
"Did you hear anything more about the case? What have they done with all my stuff in my apartment?"
"It's still there, except for your safe. It's with the authorities. They should return it soon."
"I don't have any clothes or shoes or-"
Fitz let her down, "okay, let's do it this way. How much was your closet worth?"
"How am I supposed to know that?"
"How much- I'll give you the cash for whatever your closet is worth- 5 times over."
Olivia smiled, "I have a lot of clothes."
"Then it's a good thing I have a lot of money," Fitz retorted.
"So good," Olivia joked.
"I'll have my accountant wire it to you. Just let me know the amount."
"I'll need to do some calculating…"Olivia said.
Fitz laughed. "Calculate away."
There was a knock on the door breaking them from the moment.
"Come in," Olivia called.
It was the girl's nanny bringing the girls back to the room once they were fed and changed as Olivia asked.
The moment the twins saw both their parents they began to scream excitedly. Fitz took them both from the nanny and carried them over to the couch.
Olivia followed and watched as Fitz played with them until he was called away by Cyrus.
He returned just after she'd started dinner with the girls. They were having grilled salmon and baby broccoli, though the twins weren't very fond of the broccoli.
"Sorry, I'm late," he said as he kissed Olivia against her hair then Karen and their twins.
Dinner was unusually silent. Karen didn't have much to say and the twins picked at their food and spread it all over the high chair.
When they finished Karen headed back to her bedroom and Olivia, Fitz and the twins headed to theirs. After they cleaned up the twins and bathed them together, as was their routine.
Olivia put down Luna for bed and Fitz did the same with Lana in their nursery.
When they headed back to the bedroom, Fitz made a beeline to the tv and turned it on.
"What's going on?" Olivia asked as she followed him.
"Mellie's interview," he said. "Listen to it."
Olivia sat on the couch beside him and waited for him to find the channel. When he found it, it had already started.
"-Not that it matters but let me be clear, I gave my husband my full blessing to initiate his relationship with Olivia. She was a friend to us both through the campaign and into my husband's presidency. Friendships sometimes morphe into romantic relationships and I was okay with that. I know that my husband was faithful to me but couples grow apart."
"There has been some talk about the conception date of the president's twin daughter being very close to or possibly before your divorce was announced."
"That might certainly be true but divorce papers had been drawn and debated and discussed long before it was announced. We had been separated privately"
"So are you saying that your husband was with Ms. Pope before you officially divorced?"
"What I'm saying is that I was fully aware of when my husband pursued a relationship with Ms. Pople, he had my blessing. I don't know if they or I owe the world details of the conception date or anything like that."
"Fair," the journalist replied, "does it not bother you that perhaps obviously your husband might have had romantic feelings towards Miss Pope during the campaign and your marriage."
Mellie smiled politely, "it's certainly not fun to think about but the problems in our marriage originated far before Miss Pope came into our lives. I will admit that Fitz did ask permission before he asked Olivia out on their first date and I said yes. He was very respectful about the entire ordeal. You know…I have a lot of respect for my husband and I do consider Olivia a great friend still. We all have so far successfully co-parented our gorgeous daughters together so if it works for us then I can't understand what all the fuss is about. I've seen the things being said about Olivia and as a woman, as a mother..who was attacked viciously on the campaign trail I'm appalled and I empathize with her deeply. It's certainly not fun being in the spotlight and I hope that everyone can be gracious towards her as she steps into this new role."
"Moving on-" Journalist began.
Fitz turned off the tv and turned to Olivia, "I figured we can let this hang out there for a few days and see how it changes the conversation, and then we'll know our next move. I also hired a crisis manager earlier."
"I'm a crisis manager too," Olivia said. "Why didn't you hire me? Is it because we're sleeping together?"
Fitz laughed, "you're just a little too close to the situation."
Olivia nodded, "you're probably right."
"So they found your housekeeper and arrested her," Fitz said. "She, along with the other men are being arraigned tomorrow."
"Are the prosecutors gonna want me to be a part of the case?"
"If they can't get a guilty plea out of them then probably."
"My memory of that night is…unreliable. They hit me pretty hard."
Fitz sighed and pulled her against his chest then kissed her hair, "I know. I'm sorry that happened to you."
Olivia touched her throat where a small wound was stitched. "Yeah, it was a bad night."
There was a knock on the door.
"Uh..." Fitz said as he stood, "there's someone I want you to meet."
Olivia stood, "Fitz my face- I'm still not healed."
"I know but it's okay."
Olivia nodded and followed him to the door. Fitz opened the door and they both stepped out. There was a tall, brown-haired man in the hallway, along with a few secret service agents.
Jake stretched his hand out to Fitz, "Mr. President, it's a pleasure. to see you."
"No need to be so formal, we just spoke on the phone. It's good to see you, Jake." Fitz turned to Olivia, "honey, this is my old friend Jake Ballard, he was a captain in the military but he's since returned and started his own security firm. I hired him to be a part of your security team."
Jake stretched his hand to Olivia and Olivia joined in his handshake.
"Nice to meet you. I'm sorry to hear about your assault. I hope the people who hurt you pay for their crimes."
"Thank you," Olivia said.
A/N- Hi guys, let me know your thoughts on this one.