Unexpected Joy Chapter 8 - A Woman Scorned, a scandal fanfic

A/N: HELLO! I'm finally back. After a very busy semester & family crisis, I have found inspiration to finish this story & maybe even begin a new one wink wink*… without further a do… your next chapter. XOXO.

Chapter 8: A Woman Scorned

"Tell Fitz he has 36 hours to convince me, in person, that he regrets the unfortunate choices he's made and truly wants to recommit himself to his wife and children. If he doesn't, he will have the pleasure of seeing the First Lady of the United States call her husband a whore-loving bastard on national television."

I wake up tangled into his body. The warmth gives me a sense of peace and hope that I haven't felt in a long time, maybe ever. I debate getting up to face reality, or staying in this warmness that he holds me in. It's like a trance or a daydream. I could stay here forever.

He starts wrestling in his sleep and his heavy breathing and deep heart beat lighten. He is waking up. I roll over to avoid the awkward eye contact and so he doesn't think I was watching how peaceful he was sleeping.

A deep baritone voice breaks through the silence, "Hi."

I roll back over and look at the gorgeous Greek God staring back at me with jostled curls and sleepy eyes.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?" He pulls me in closer and I bask in his natural scent.

"I slept good. I wish every morning could start like this and every night could end like last night."

"Me too.. It has been amazing, but you know we have to…"

"Nope. No reality or outside world talk until we shower and have breakfast, like a normal couple."

"Okay, okay."

We shower for what felt like hours and go have breakfast. Mainly orange juice and some grapes that I had in the fridge because I don't grocery shop often. Usually too busy and don't feel like dealing with the crowds and lines.

"So now can we talk?"

"I guess so. But, Livvie. We don't have to decide everything quite yet."

"I know, I know. It's just… I want to be prepared for any possible curve ball that could be thrown my-our way. Which is impossible, I know. Must be the fixer in me. I'm going to start showing soon and we won't be able to hide it then. You can, but I can't."

"Liv, you know I would never deny you or our child. That is my baby and I don't want to make up some fabricated lie about the back story of conception."

"I see no other way out of it. You finish your term and if you want to run again, we will just figure it out."

"Livvie, I'm going to marry you, raise our child, and remain President. I want to be with the woman I love, not in the shadows, openly. And if I have to stop being President, then so be it."

"I would never force you into anything you don't want to do, so if this is how you want to go about it, we will. But, you know that's not the smart-"

"- I don't do the smart thing Livvie, I do the right thing."

Breakfast ended on a good note. He always reassures me and lifts up the possibilities. I hate having to be the realist, but let's face it… He is POTUS and a scandal such as a mysterious love-child by his former director of communications would ruin not only his presidency, but his legacy. Since finding out I am pregnant, I have come to the realization that things are obviously out of my control and I need to let people start making their own decisions, especially Fitz. He is a grown man and here I am, always trying to fix him.

He specifically told me not to try and fix him anymore.

I walk into work in a surprisingly good mood. I think it freaks out my coworkers because they are standing outside my office, looking at me like a zoo animal.

After several minutes of uninterrupted, awkward stares, I wave them in.

Abby bounces right in, as if she is ready for my explanation. "Hey, Liv what's up. Did you need something?"

"Yes. For you four to stop staring at me like I'm in the zoo."

"Sorry, Liv. It's just-" Abby looks around the room to her peers: Huck, Quinn, and Harrison.

"Just what, Abby?"

"You're… happy and-"

"So now I can't be happy?"

"No. No. Not at all. It's just… you're happy and glowing… we've never seen you glow."

I hadn't noticed the glow, but I read about it online. I was hoping I would obtain it, rather than the counterpart of non-stop morning sickness and fatigue. I'm now 7 weeks and today is the first day I haven't had morning sickness in a couple days. Finally, a break. After having Fitz watch me dry heave on the bathroom floor, the baby must be content in his/her attempt to humiliate me.

"Glow? I see no glow, thank you Abby that will be all. Find the witness of the attack from the Helms case. Bye."

"Um… sure thing, boss."

They all slowly walk out of my office, as if I had something else to say. I wasn't ready to tell them about the pregnancy, not until Fitz and I have worked out every little detail.

I begin daydreaming of finding out the sex of the baby, with Fitz firmly gripping my hand and having his other placed on my leg. I begin to be hopeful of the future and Fitz's plans. We can do this. He told me he is going to be there as much as possible and I have a checkup coming in a little over a week, maybe he can be there with me.

My thoughts are therefore interrupted by an obnoxious ringing sound of my office phone.

FITZ's POV:

I waltzed into the oval as happy as ever. Putting aside the optics and the demise of my legacy, I am getting everything I have ever wanted. To be with the woman I love, openly. And to raise our child together. Liv and I have decided to wait on setting our plan in motion, but I don't want to wait. I want to get started right away. Start living the life I always wanted, with the woman I love.

I begin thinking of the possible image of my new child. I hope it's a girl. Liv asked me, but I didn't want her to feel pressured or disappointed if it is a boy, which is perfectly fine as well. I already have one boy, Gerry, and one girl, Karen. Oh God. I hadn't even thought about them in this whole situation. I hope they will understand why I can no longer be with their mother. Actually, I'm quite sure they will understand. They have always loved Olivia, adored her even.

I return to my sweet, serene dream of Liv holding our precious baby for the first time. Light caramel skin, wild dark brown curls, and blue eyes, like mine. She/he better have something of mine. I want to be able to openly and definitively claim this baby.

Mellie always said she had kids for me and for my career, but I have always loved and wanted children. Having children was not a political move for me, as much as a step forward for my life. Mellie barely sees our children and I can't comprehend that. To willingly write off your children, I'll never be able to understand.

My daydream is interrupted by Mellie storming into the oval, followed by a worried and apologetic Lauren.

"I'm so sorry, sir. She-"

"It's okay, Lauren. Thank you." Lauren then closes the door, giving the First Lady/ my nightmare and I some privacy.

"Hello, honey. Nice to finally see you. It's been- oh, I don't know. A full 24 hours where I have not seen you and a full 10 hours where no one seems to know where you have been. And then I thought, oh that's right. Your whore only lives 10 minutes away, depending on traffic."

"Excuse me, Mellie, but you will never refer to her as that again. Am I clear?"

"Oh something is clear, sweetie, but it isn't what I will or will not call your mistress."

"And what would that be, Mel?"

"You will stop seeing her immediately, I thought we have been over this, time and time again. Get over her."

"Mellie, stop."

"GET OVER HER!"

"Mellie."

"You see her again and I'll blow you away. Because wait until I start talking."

"Mellie, I want a divorce."

Back to LIV's POV:

The ringing continues as I stare at it. Finally, I answer it. Knowing it's a White House number, but it can't be Fitz because I still have the Fitz phone.

"Olivia Pope, how can I-"

"Liv."

"Yes, Cyrus."

"What the hell are you thinking? That the leader of the free world can just divorce his wife and ride off in the sunset with you?"

"First of all, Cy. Calm down. We don't need you having a heart attack and where is this coming from?" Fitz and I had specifically talked about waiting until we could figure everything out to begin enforcing our plan, yet here his chief of staff is telling me step one is already in play.

"Forget the heart attack, what about America's heart? America, Liv. We didn't sacrifice everything for him to end it all with not even a full term. You can't, Liv. Don't do this. I'm begging you."

"This was his choice, Cy. I'm going to be with him, I love him."

"This is not a romance novel. Some men don't get to be happy, they get to be great."

"This isn't all on me. I'm going to hang up now."

"You and I both know he will only listen to you, you can convince him otherwise."

"And why would I do that? We deserve to be happy together, Cy-"

"-Stop it, you're breaking my heart."

Click.

He hung up on me. He really blames me for Fitz choosing me… and our baby, but he doesn't know that. Would that change things or make Cyrus madder at me?

This isn't my fault, I keep telling myself. After I become so tired of paperwork and research, my eyes become heavy with doubt and worry. I start packing up my things and am on my way out when Quinn stops me in my office doorway.

"Here. You looked like you could use this and I know you would be going home soon, so I put it in a travel mug."

I take the hot cup and open the lid to let out the hot steam and smell the contents. It's scalding hot peppermint tea. One of my favorites during this season.

I thank her and begin to proceed towards the elevator when I hear the door to our offices shut firmly behind me. I turn around to see Quinn standing there against the door, nervous.

"Did you need something, Quinn?"

"I-it helps with the nausea, I read."

"Quinn, I- This is-"

"It's okay, you're not ready, but when you are, I am… here."

I say nothing and repeatedly push the elevator down button, but I hear the office door shut as we make eye contact as the elevator doors close.

She knows. Quinn knows. Who else knows? Abby, Harrison?

How does she know? I haven't thrown up at the office or acted suspicious… well I'm always suspicious, but that's because I'm a very private person who happens to have been having an on and off affair with the President of the United States for the past 4 or so years. No biggie.

I finally snap out of my continuous meltdown by the familiar ringtone of the Fitz phone.

"Hi." I respond graciously, hopefully deflecting any confusion or worry I might convey,

"Livvie. I'm so sorry. It slipped out, we were having a heated argument and-"

"It's fine, we'll figure it out."

"Oh thank God. I was terrified I was going to scare you and push you away."

"I'm not going anywhere, I don't really have a choice anymore."

"You always have a choice, Liv."

"Well, I choose you. So, we should get started, on our plan."

"So, let's."

"As soon as you find time."

MELLIE's POV:

"I will ruin her and him. Everything they are, they will not get away with this Cyrus, I refuse to let them sweep me under the rubble. ALL that I have sacrificed for that idiotic man, who can't seem to keep it in his pants. Oh and don't even get me started on the whore, cant keep her legs closed… *mumbling and pacing back and forth angrily*."

"Okay, Mellie. Before we start rallying the troops, what is it you want? What's your endgame?"

"I want to destroy Olivia Pope. I want her to suffer like I have suffered. I want her to suffer so much it makes him suffer. I want to make them bleed. I want their every breath to reek of poison!"

I pause before carefully considering my next words.

A/N: Another chapter down! Since I haven't updated in forever, this was my longest chapter so far. This wasn't exactly where I had planned on taking this chapter, but the creative process began and I didn't exactly want to stop it. This chapter had lots of dialogue and LOTS OF PARALLELS! I love me some parallels. Anyways, I have finally decided on the direction I am going to take this story, so it should be finished within the next two months or so. Don't worry, I will fully complete it. My goal is before Scandal returns on the 18th, but we'll see. Okay, lovelies, leave me some feedback, I read every single comment and PM! XOXO.