"No Cy, I won't do it!"
"James please, Liv needs us. We need you to be the one this story breaks through."
"Why? Why me?"
"Because you care about Liv, and Zion. We need someone who won't twist the truth."
"Cy, I can't do it because I love Liv and Zy. Have any of you thought about how this will change his life? This will hurt him to find out on national television the president of the united states is his father. Forget the protesters and the right winged nut jobs that will have a field day with this."
Liv watched as Cyrus and James went back and forth. James wasn't budging because he didn't want Zion hurt which was both admirable and respectable considering James' given profession. But there was no denying that in order to save Zion, James had to help set the narrative.
"James, Zion has already met Fitz. He knows and he's ok with it. He's in love with Fitz already. But James, Mellie also knows and she's ready to go public. Please help us." Liv said as she walked over to James and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Liv looked into James eyes, and he could see the panic that reflected in hers. James felt chills running down his spine. Never before had he seen Liv so scared. For the past eight years he had only seen the formidable Olivia Pope- strong, articulate, always on her game. He never saw her broken, this was definitely a first. James took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around Liv.
"Ok, I'll do it. I'll do it for you. Just tell me what to say and where and I'll be there."
Liv looked up at James and kissed him on the cheek. She never thought she'd have to beg a reporter to break such a high profile story, but she was glad that James wouldn't betray her confidence.
"James, we want to do this in an hour. Zion is at Abby's, and we want it to break live, on primetime."
"Fine, let me go find a suit and we will get this ball rolling." James said then turned to look at Fitz.
"You know I'm watching you, if you hurt Liv or my Zion..."
"James, I have been in love with Liv for eight years now. For eight years I have longed for the day we would be together. For eight years, I have died more and more inside because I couldn't be with the woman I love. I'm just finding out that I have a son, I have had a son. I spent almost two decades believing I was the father of the children Mellie birthed. Do you know how it feels to find out two of your own children are in fact your siblings? To find out that your third child, the one you were tricked into having is not yours as well? To know happiness, and have it ripped away over a lie? James, I'm not going anywhere. I don't care if we have to dig a grave for my ratings, I'm never leaving her side... Or Zion's. In seven days I will be out of this White House. In seven days, we will be a family. If we break this story now, before inauguration day, it won't last. You and I both know that. If we wait, like we are sure Mellie wants to, THAT will destroy Zion."
James looked at Fitz and wanted to believe him. But Zion was his main concern. Not Fitz.
"What about security for the child, for Liv? You go back to the White House, but they will be left outside of those protective walls. "
"James, both Liv and Zion already have a security detail. There are three agents posted outside of Abby's house as we speak. If i have to, I'll move them into Blair House for the week."
James stopped for a moment and looked to Liv. She was after all the best press secretary the White House had ever seen. That combined with the many crises she helped the richest and most powerful survive, she knew what she was doing. The look on Liv's face was confident, her stance was relaxed, she knew this would work. James had no choice but to trust her.
"Ok, lets do this. Liv where should we set this up so i can get the camera crew prepared?"
Liv thought for a moment of the best place to deliver this message. Liv remembered the interview Mellie gave James at Blair House. She knew that the interview would be revived by some reporter who wanted to stir up trouble. However, Liv felt that Blair House would be the best place. Her apartment would alert the nation that Fitz had been there many times before. He was too comfortable there. They shared too many moments in the White House and Liv would be too comfortable there. Blair House was neutral ground.
Mellie set the tone years ago by telling the world Fitz had been unfaithful. Many people had forgotten about the story, but Liv knew it would resurface which was why they needed to do the interview there. To shut Mellie down.
"We'll do the interview at Blair House." Liv said. She also handed James the picture of Zion and Fitz standing by the window in the oval, as well as the questions Liv had drafted for James to ask.
"James, this picture is for when you ask about Zion's reaction to all of this. How he and Fitz are managing now that they've found one another."
Liv relaxed as James looked over the picture. She could see James was beginning to relax as well.
"Ok, we'll meet over at Blair House in an hour." James said and walked upstairs to his bedroom to prepare.
Liv looked at Fitz and he was shocked to see that for the first time in her life, she needed reassurance.
"Livvie, are you sure you want to do this? We don't have to." Fitz said looking down at her.
"Yes Fitz, we have to. For Zion." Liv said as she hugged Cyrus and made her way to the door. Fitz followed behind Liv and looked to Cyrus for reassurance.
"It will be fine Fitz. Liv is the best at what she does. She's better than our boys at the White House. She can handle this."
Fitz nodded at his friend and they made their way out the door. They headed back to Liv's apartment and began to prepare for the interview before heading over to Blair House.
When they arrived at Blair House, Liv felt an overwhelming amount of confidence take over. She knew this would work. They were set to go live in fifteen minutes, and Liv felt in her gut this was the best time to strike.
They sat down in the living room of Blair House and the cameras began running test shots to make sure their angles captured the two completely. After a few adjustments, they were ready to begin.
"Ok, we are here tonight with President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, and Olivia Pope. I've been told there is something you'd like to address the nation with."
"Yes James. First may I say thank you for sitting down with us on such short notice. What I am about to say may not be easy for some people to hear, what I have to say may not be taken well in every household across the country but it needs to be said."
Fitz paused for a moment before continuing.
"Eight years ago when I entered the White House, my marriage was on the rocks. There were things that were revealed to me by my ex wife Mellie Grant that sent me into a downward spiral of my own feelings. Things that I am not yet ready to reveal at this time, for the sake of others involved, but these things ultimately led to our divorce. During the worst moments of my life, I sought comfort in the arms of another woman. I fell in love with another woman. I fell in love with Olivia Pope. About a week ago, I discovered that the love we shared, the love that still remains in our hearts for one another resulted in the birth of a child."
The cameras cut to a picture of Zion at birth then back to Fitz as he continued.
"Olivia thought it was best for me to not know about the child. She didn't want it to affect my presidency, so Olivia decided to cut all ties with the Grant administration and raise the child on her own. It was a move I know couldn't have been easy for her, but I know she always keeps the interests of others high above her own."
The cameras cut back to James.
"Mr. President, when did the affair with Ms. Pope begin?"
"It began when I first ran for president, Ms. Pope was my campaign manager. We ended things for a while, then issues began to resurface between Ms. Pope and myself as things were deteriorating between the first lady and me. Liv thought it best we end things for good, but I couldn't allow it. I was already in love. She didn't want to admit to me, or to herself, but she was too. Either way she broke things off again, and we didn't see one another until after the assassination attempt on my life. Not too long after that, Ms. Pope walked away and I respected her wishes. She didn't want to affect my presidency, and she was willing to let go of what we had so I could be a better man. The man this nation needed me to be."
The cameras cut back to James.
"Ms. Pope, what has all of this been like for you? Is there a place in your son's life for the president? How do you feel things will play out this time now that President Grant will be leaving office in a week?"
"James it hasn't been easy. I never expected to fall in love with the president. I never expected him to fall in love with me. But it is something that happened, and no matter how hard I tried, he still holds the key to my heart. As for our son, there will always be a place for the president in his life. I didn't hide the child out of spite or hatred towards the president, I chose to conceal his existence because women in America have a choice. They have the choice to have a child, to give it up for adoption, or the choice to end their pregnancy. I knew that my decisions had the potential to destroy the great work that this administration has done within our great nation. But I couldn't end a life that was made out of love. The love that we shared for one another. So, I raised him on my own, with the help of some very supportive friends. Friends who are all finding out right now, the father's true identity."
"Ms. Pope, how is your son adjusting to the news? Has he met the president yet?"
"He has James. They have had a few moments together. With President Grant still being in the White House, they haven't had many, but he is ok with the revelation, and he is excited to get to know his father."
"Ms. Pope, why have you now decided to come forward with this story?"
"James, it was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed. With president Grant leaving office, I no longer have to worry about him making a tough call. I no longer have to worry about him giving it all up. Now that his term is over, and he has left his mark on the nation, we can now move forward and embrace the life we've dreamt of for so long. Now that his term is over, he can get to know his son without having to choose between the nation and being a father."
Liv paused and the camera switched to the picture of Zion and Fitz in the oval.
"So tell us, what does the future hold for the two of you."
"Well James, we are planning to take things slowly. Even though the feelings we have for one another are stronger than they have ever been, we need to place our child's best interests first. Although he excited to know me and I him, there are a lot of things things that he'll have to get used to with me being in the picture."
"So does that mean that wedding bells will be in the future?"
Fitz stopped and looked at Liv and smiled as he responded.
"You'd better believe it."
"When will the nation get to meet this child?"
"Soon James, not yet. There are things that the three of us need to adapt to before. He is a very brilliant child, but he is a child nonetheless. We just ask that the nation allows us time to adjust to life with the president and remember that he is a child."
"President Grant, I have one final question for you before we close this interview. What do you think Former first lady Mellie Grant would say about this revelation."
Liv looked at James then at Fitz. That question wasn't on the list. She had prepped Fitz for all of the other questions, but not this one. Liv prayed Fitz would handle the response well.
Fitz turned to look at the camera and his posture made it clear he was speaking directly to Mellie.
"Well James, I can't honestly speak for Mellie, but I would hope that considering the circumstances that surrounded our divorce, she will respect our privacy as much as I have respected hers over the years. She is a brilliant woman, and we have maintained a peaceful existence after our divorcing. I would hope that she is poised and graceful enough to not target an innocent defenseless child. I would like to think that as a mother of three children, she would appreciate the sacrifices that mother's often make in the name of love for their child. I would hope, that Mellie doesn't forget that everyone in this world has done something in their past, something that may hurt others, but they have decided to stand by their decision and see things through."
"Thank you Mr. President, Ms. Pope for giving me the opportunity to sit down with the both of you tonight. I hope I can speak for everyone when I say that I wish you the best of luck in the future."
"Thank you James." They responded together.
They sat for a moment until the mics were off and began to chat. Once they director yelled clear, they stood up and hugged James.
"I'm sorry I threw the last question in. I just spoke before I thought. Journalistic instincts." James said with his head down.
"James, it was perfect. The interview ended with Fitz speaking directly to Mellie. We have set the narrative. Now we wait. By tomorrow the press will all over this story, and Mellie has nothing to hold over our heads, but we still have something on her. I think we'll be ok. Zion will be ok. We will still have to deal with a lot of crap, but this story will die down within the week." Liv said as she hugged their friend.
"You do know this means you owe me right?" James asked placing his hand on his hip.
"How about a day of shopping then lunch?" Liv asked smiling at James.
"It's a date." James said then shook Fitz's hand and left Blair House with the camera crew.
Once everyone was gone, Liv went to put on her coat but Fitz stopped her.
"Stay with me Livvie. Zion is with Abby for the next three days. Stay with me." Fitz said as he grabbed Liv by the waist pulling her close and began kissing her neck.
Liv knew that it wouldn't be wise for her to stay in the White House with Fitz, not after their press corps would have a field day with Fitz "shacking up" with her in the White House of all places. But even though her mind was telling her to go, her body was refusing to cooperate. She had spent so much time doing what was she thought was best. For once Liv wanted to do what felt right. And damned if Fitz's mouth on her body didn't feel right.
Liv wrapped her arms around Fitz's neck and tilted her head as she pulled him closer. She allowed herself to give into the moment.
Liv pushed Fitz away from her neck for a moment and brought his lips down to hers for a kiss. The moment their lips touched, time ceased to exist. Nothing in the world mattered but the two of them. They were here, they were together. Liv deepened the kiss as she realized that she was the one. She was no longer the mistress, and they were really going to spend the rest of their lives together.
Liv broke the kiss and looked up at Fitz. She spoke four little words that sent a flame shooting through Fitz's body.
"Make love to me." Liv said as she brought Fitz's head back down to hers.
Fitz's lips met Liv's in the most gentle kiss he had ever given her. The passion behind his movements was strong, but the gentleness served to enhance the moment.
Fitz lifted Liv up and carried her down the hall and into the first bedroom he came to. He laid her down and and climbed on top of her seeking out her lips with his own. Fitz felt all of the pain, the fear, and the frustration leave Liv as she tilted her head and and parted her lips allowing his tongue to work it's way into her mouth.
The feeling that washed over Liv was one she hadn't felt in a very long time. Even though they had just opened Pandora's box, Liv couldn't help but to feel calm. Like everything was going to be ok. The only fear that remained was them. Now that there was no reason to hide, Liv wondered if she would be destined to become the next Mellie. She couldn't bare the thought of Fitz falling in love with anyone else. She looked up at Fitz and tried to speak between contact.
"Don't stop. Fitz don't ever stop loving me."
"There is no way in hell I'd ever stop. I can't stop, I cant. You are the most important person in my life. I belong to you."