Thank you for reading my lil story and to those who wrote such terrific reviews. It's truly like jello shots for my soul ;-) Mad thanks to my beta as always. You make things, ya know, readable. And of course, I own nothing, just simply borrowing from Shonda.
*This takes place before 3x08 and all that awesomeness.
Okay, hope you enjoy!
Cyrus watched in horror as Fitz looked down as if to gather himself before he looked back up at the reporter and the rest of the press pool. All now sat in eager silence, awaiting his response.
When he finally found the words, his voice trembled ever so slightly.
"I haven't heard anything about Ms. Pope missing, but I'm sure she's just trying to recoup after the events of the past month and we should respect her privacy." He nodded, signaling the end of his statement. "Thank you." He waved and turned back towards the White House with purpose in his step.
Cyrus turned off the television. "Mary," He called quietly.
"Yes, Mr. Beene." His assistant replied, unsure of what he could possible need from her now. She hoped he wasn't having another heart attack.
"Cancel all of my appointments for the day," He ordered, almost as an afterthought. . While Cyrus was on the short list of the President's least favorite people he still knew that man like the back of his hand. Fitzgerald Grant was going to want answers and he would not stop until he had them.
The phone rang and Mary quickly answered it and after a simple "Okay," she hung up and looked up at Cyrus. "The President would like to see you in the Oval," she said.
"Of course he does." Cyrus straightened his back. "I could be expelling some kid from Harvard right now," He muttered to himself as he walked the long way around to the Oval, Cyrus went over his options. He could feign ignorance, pretend that this was the first time he'd heard about Olivia missing. On the other hand, he could come in and tell the truth. He could admit that he was aware that the President's mistress was gone but he kept quiet because he was worried about the leader of the free world's ability to lead. As Cyrus entered the outer office he heard Fitz yelling for Lauren in a tone that left no doubt as to the President's mood. Cyrus nodded to himself. Lie it was.
Lauren scrambled around her desk and opened the door to the Oval. "Mr. Beene is here, Sir." She said in a tone she hoped was professional. In reality she wanted no part of this.
"Send him in." He growled. His low voice and clipped manner left no doubt as to his mood.
The young woman nodded and gave a sympathetic look to Cyrus.
"He's ready for you now."
"Lauren, I can't tell you how completely unnecessary that statement was." Cyrus whispered and entered. "Mr. President," he greeted Fitz.
"Cyrus." Fitz stood in the middle of his office with narrow eyes, rigid posture, and a tense jaw. "Did you know?"
"Sir-" Cyrus started, but Fitz but him off.
"Before you speak, please know that I'm prepared to throw you out of my office, and this building if you lie to me." He growled and stopped to make sure Cyrus understood. "Now, did you know that Olivia was missing?"
Cyrus wiped his face with his hand and looked away.
"Yes," he sighed in exasperation, unable to go ahead with the lie.
"You son of a bitch." Fitz shook his head. After all the horrible things he knew Cyrus to be capable of, he couldn't help but wonder how Cyrus could keep this from him. He had a right to know. "She's missing and you didn't tell me?"
"Sir-" Cyrus tried to interrupt.
"Whatever you're about to say right now is going to do nothing but serve to cover your ass," Fitz had no desire to hear Cyrus' excuses and moved behind his desk to pick up the phone. "Lauren, I want the director of the FBI right now."
"Mr. President, wait." Desperate, Cyrus held out a hand.
Fitz gave Cyrus an incredulous look.
"It's obvious that you don't care about Liv's well-being, but I do." His voice wavered. They were wasting time and he needed to start looking for her.
"I didn't tell you because I can't have you involved in a missing persons scandal." Cyrus explained, still unable to make eye contact.
"Excuse me?" Fitz questioned Cyrus, one eyebrow raised. He hung up the phone. "What's going on?"
"Her guy, Harrison, called and told me that they haven't heard from her in a few days." Cyrus began to put pieces of the conversation in order for the President. "There's been no activity on her credit cards, no outgoing calls from her phone, no answered calls." He stopped, recalling the phone records Harrison had emailed an hour earlier. "Not even from you because you didn't call." It was now Fitz's turn to look away as realization crept over Cyrus' face. "You haven't called her in 3 days. Why is that?"
Fitz cancelled the request for the FBI director and sat down. "Olivia isn't missing."
"Come again?" Cyrus asked, sure he'd misunderstood the younger man.
"Liv isn't missing, she's taking some time away." Fitz explained, a hint of sadness laced his words. "She didn't want any outside distractions."
Cyrus gave a joyless laugh. "So you know where she is," The president nodded. "I can't even begin to explain to you how many years the Shakespearean tragedy that is your love life is shaving off of my life!"
"No one asked for your involvement!" Fitz countered, tired of Cyrus' theatrics.
"It's my job, Mr. President, to be involved," Cyrus spat. "You aren't the only person involved here. You aren't the only one who cares about her well-being. Her people are about to call in the police."
"Tell her people to stand down." Fitz said simply. "Liv is fine."
Cyrus shook his head no. There was an urgency to the conversation that he'd had with Harrison that made him think otherwise. "I think your spidey senses are off, Sir. While I'm not involved with her as intimately as you are, I've known her a lot longer." Cyrus began to voice his concern. "It's not like her to not tell anyone-"
"She told me!" Fitz boomed. "I promised her that I'd give her space and that's what I'm going to do." He looked at Cyrus with an intensity the Chief of Staff rarely saw anymore. "She's coming back and she's coming back to me. I'm not going to send in a SWAT team because her friends won't take my word for it!"
Before Cyrus could respond a quick knock interrupted him followed by Lauren poking her head inside the office. "I'm sorry Sir, Captain Ballard is here to see you." She looked at both men. "He says it's in regard to Ms. Pope."
Fitz groaned and nodded, tell her to let Jake in. His best friend, turned back stabber was the last person he wanted to see.
Jake walked in quickly and slowed when he saw that they were not alone. He nodded to Cyrus who did not return the gesture and focused back on Fitz. "Mr. President."
"What do you want Jake?" Fitz asked, not in the mood for false pleasantries. It would be a clear waste of time with both men firmly aware of the state of their relationship. "I'm busy." He gestured at the room they stood in, the Oval office being the center of power to an important nation.
"I hope you're busy looking for Olivia. We hadn't heard from you so I thought I'd show my face, see what you're doing about it."
Fitz smirked.
"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Small victories, he thought. At least Olivia didn't want Jake's presence either while she sorted things out. "Olivia needed some time away and we're going to respect her wishes. She's not missing."
"I think you're wrong." Jake said simply. "Her luggage is still here."
"And you would know that how?" Cyrus asked, genuinely curious. He wasn't quite sure what Jake's relationship was with Olivia, but he could tell by the President's body language that it couldn't be good.
"She gave me a key." Jake smiled, first at Cyrus then directed it to Fitz. He was well aware of the pain he caused his friend with that piece of information. The knowledge that Olivia still trusted Jake to walk into her home and her bedroom would tear him up inside. "I checked her apartment and nothing was out-of-place," He continued. "Everything was where it should be," He slipped his hands inside his pockets. "Including her suitcase."
"Maybe she took her carry on." Fitz countered.
"Seriously?" Jake shook his head in frustration and turned to Cyrus for help.
Cyrus, however would be of no help refusing to show anything but support for Fitz.
"The President is privy to information that you are not." He replied as if this had been a well crafted statement.
Jake moved to stand directly in front of Cyrus as if to challenge him.
"If he told you water wasn't wet, you'd believe him."
"Slept with any other women you've been spying on lately?" Cyrus asked calmly.
"That's enough," Fitz interjected. The topic of Jake's dalliance with Olivia was still a sore topic with him. "Olivia is fine, we're done here."
"Why are you so dismissive of this?" Jake hissed with frustration.
Fitz walked around his desk and placed a hand on Cyrus' shoulder, grateful for his support. Cyrus stepped back allowing Fitz to take his place, but kept his eyes on Jake. "I spoke to Olivia before she left, I was with her actually. She needed some time away from everyone."
"Everyone or just you?" Jake challenged.
"I think you should leave," Fitz answered, his voice deepened as he involuntarily began to clench his fist. "Now."
Jake looked from the President to Cyrus and realized he was in a no win situation. "Fine." He practically spit and left without another word.
Cyrus let out a breath he didn't know he was holding once Jake closed the door behind him.
"I thought you were going to hit him." He half-heartedly joked. Truth be told he'd been prepared to call in the Secret Service.
Fitz smiled to himself.
"I really wanted to." He replied and turned to look at Cyrus. "Thank you, for supporting me in front of Jake."
"Of course." Cyrus responded, inwardly surprised at the President's kind words. It had been so long. While he didn't feel as confident in Olivia's whereabouts as Fitz did he knew the man would sooner die than let anything happen to her. If Fitz believed her to be safe, then he would let the issue go. "If there's nothing else sir..." Cyrus trailed off, ready to leave.
"We're done here, Cy." Fitz walked over to the window overlooking the south lawn. The sun had begun to set and now cast shadows across the room. "Oh and Cy, the next time you withhold something from me involving Liv, you and I will be done for good."
Cyrus looked down, guilty for his earlier decisions.
"Yes Sir."
Just as Cyrus opened the door to leave the phone on Fitz's desk began to ring. Fitz answered on the second ring.
"Hello?" He was curious as to who was calling without being announced by Lauren first.
Cyrus hung back, waiting to see if he'd be needed for assistance.
When Fitz got no response he tried again.
"Hello?"
"Mr. President," a deep and electronically distorted voice replied.
"Who is this?" Fitz asked with more than a hint of confusion.
Cyrus closed the door and walked back to the desk.
"I saw your press conference, I believe you gave inaccurate information," the voice said.
Fitz felt his legs go weak as he sunk into his chair.
"Who is this," He asked again with a force.
"I'm the person who kidnapped Olivia Pope."
To be continued...