Disclaimer: Scandal belongs to Shonda Rhimes and her creative mind.

Author note: This chapter is M rated in the beginning. Thanks for your nice and supportive reviews. I look forward to this week's epi of Scandal, jealousy is always a strong motivator.

Take It Easy On Me

Chapter 12

Olivia went to her room before Fitz and Cyrus were ready to leave the oval office, mostly because she wanted to avoid starting any gossip about her and the President, they couldn't afford to be seen on too friendly terms right now. He had to be considered moral spotless.

Half an hour later a soft knock on her door indicated that Fitz wasn't sharing her concerns about his reputation, and the butterflies awoke and started a wild dance, excited Olivia opened the door. Fitz stood with his hands in his pockets and staring at the floor, but his eyes flew up when she opened the door and caught hers. Their eyes were locked together by love and desire.

"Are you going to let me come in?" His voice was husky and ignited the heat in her body

"Hmm." She breathed, but grabbed his sleeves and pulled him into the room. "You shouldn't be here."

Gazing into her eyes, he stood very still, "No?"

Her breathing came in hollow intakes, "no, it's not wise."

"Why not?" His breathing matched hers.

Lost in his eyes, she couldn't remember why it was wrong that he was in her room and why it was wrong that he clearly wanted her. Moving slightly her lips met his and all reason vanished. His lips were all that mattered, his lips and his touch.

The kiss was sweet, tender and full of passion. He pulled her closer to him, her hands buried in his hair held his head in a iron grab, locking his lips to her. The feeling of him pressed against her body and his tongue in her mouth was all she could think of in that moment. There were no political agenda, they were just two people in love.

His hand wandered slowly from her waist up her ribs and found her right breast, he caressed her softly through the light fabric of her top, leaning closer into his hand she moaned, he rubbed his groin against her and she felt how aroused he was, and it only ignited her own desire.

She released his head and broke the kiss, her lips travelled to his throat were they spread butterflies kisses, and her hands slowly released his tie and unbuttoned his skirt, her lips moved to the exposed skin on his chest and further down. He moaned and his body trembled. Slowly, her hands unzipped his pants and pulled down, removing pants and boxers in one movement. Fitz took a sharp intake of air and held his breath, his body still trembling from want. When her mouth closed around him, he let his breath out in a load groan.

When she lay encircled in his arms, glowing and happy after their lovemaking, her fingers gently caressing the skin on his chest, she asked."Do you know what you are risking by coming tonight?"

Kissing her lightly on the top of her head he asked, "risking that you kicked me out?"

"Yes," smiling she lifted her head and look at him, "no, you risk being caught with me and that would be fatal for you staying in the White House." She became serious, "this is wrong, we have to be more careful. You can't be involved with a woman any time soon."

Fitz gazed into her eyes, "stop. We are celebrating that I soon will be a free man, a man who is free to engage you. You're worth whatever happens. Let us just be in this moment."

He kissed her and she stopped thinking.

The next morning Olivia walked into her office at Olivia Pope and Associates with a foam cup of steamy coffee in her hand, she came directly from her apartment and a change into a fresh set of clothes. Though she was needed at the White House, she was also needed at her firm and wanted to manage both, and felt she owed it to her staff.

It had been another short night with lovemaking and an early morning call to more lovemaking and Fitz sneaking out of her room. Her body was a bit sour but very happy, she found bliss in the physical contact she shared with Fitz, it had grounded her and taken the edge of her anger towards him. She still felt deeply wounded by his cheating with Amanda Tanner, but had come to see that the part of the huge anger pointed at Fitz was the anger she directed at herself for leaving him, and the hurt from walking out of him.

Huck was sitting in his office searching for God knows what on the computers, he looked very focused and not talkative at all. Quinn looked bored and Harrison was out to get breakfast. Abby was the only one she didn't have an official tab on.

Sipping her coffee she zapped the news channels, the press release was breaking news:

According to filing the petition for divorce, the President and Mrs. Grant have initiated separation preparations. Due to the progress of separation and divorce, Mrs. Grant has moved out of the White House and has resigned as First Lady effected by noon yesterday. Mrs. Grant will no longer be included in matters of the State or formal events.

A comment from a Senator belonging to the Tea Party wing followed the press release:

"First of all, marriage is sacred and divorce is a sin. The President going through with his divorce tells us a lot about his moral devaluation and his ability to lead this country. Will he be able to focus on running the country and taking decisions bases on the right moral values when he is negotiating his divorce. Secondly, how will the White House manage formal visiting with foreign country without a hostess? I think the divorce will make a lot of confusion and embarrassment around the world, and that will reflect ill on the President."

Sighing, Olivia turned the television off and focused on her emails, she only had time to read one mail before Huck called:

"Incoming!"

Huck, Quinn and Olivia met in the hall and waited for their guest, it was a man in his forties, a nice looking man with brown hair and an expensive suit.

"Senator Travis." Olivia greeted.

"Olivia Pope, it's nice to finally have a face to the name."

"What can we do for you, Senator?" Olivia wasn't impressed.

Senator Travis looked a little embarrassed before he answered, "I'm here in a private matter and I need your expertise, I'm afraid." He smiled apology.

His smile seemed odd and that caught Olivia's attention. "This way," she showed the way to the conference room and pointed to a chair. The team found each a chair and sat down.

"What kind of a private problem do you have, Senator Travis?" Olivia asked politely, she had never met the senator before. but knew he was a right winged Republican with close ties to the Vice President Sally Langston, and he had only served one time in the Senate so far.

The senator studied his hands before he raised his head, and fixed his eyes on a point to the right of Olivia's face. "I married three years ago, my wife is a lovely lady coming from a family with resources and Christian values. I ran for Senate and was elected and now I want to move forward in my political career."

"You want to become Governor!" Olivia stated coldly, still not impressed.

"Yes, that is not a secret and I've the support of the Vice President."

"We don't run campaigns, Senator Travis." Olivia was losing her patience.

With a half smile the senator said, "no I didn't expect that you do. My campaign is part of the reason why I've come today. You see, before I married and got into politics I made a few mistakes, I was unfocused and behaved immoral."

"In what way did you behave immoral?"

"I had a child out of matrimony, a girl."

Olivia didn't blink, "how old is the girl?"

The senator silently calculated, "about nine or ten."

"Do you've contact with the child or the mother?"

Travis withdrew his eyes and looked at the wall, "not for the past three years, when I became engaged I cancelled all contact. I still pay though." He added the last like it was an afterthought.

"Does your wife know about your daughter?" Olivia showed no mercy.

Travis blinked several times, "no Mary-Ann wouldn't understand, she was raised morally right and don't believe in relation before the marriage. This would chock her."

"Would it chock the Vice President as well?" Olivia covered her smile behind a hand.

Fidgeting in his chair Travis paled, "yes, the Vice President and my parent-in-laws are very close friends."

"Why are you suddenly concerned about your daughter, she hasn't been an issue for your career and life so far?" Olivia felt little sympathy for the man.

"A journalist sneaked around the girl and her mother's house the other day."

"A house you paid for?"

"Yes."

Harrison had returned from his breakfast hunt and had quietly overheard most of the conversation, he didn't look pleased.

"Please wait, while I talk to my team." Olivia instructed the senator and walked into the hall with Huck, Harrison and Quinn.

Olivia watched the senator though the glass, he wasn't her cup of tea but she looked at the bigger picture. "I say we take the case, we don't have to like the man."

"I think he's a scumbag" Quinn spoke up.

"I am in" Huck said. "I trust Olivia on this.

"I don't like this man's take on Christian moral and values, but I'm in." Harrison stated.

"Fine, let's begin. Where the hell is Abby?" Olivia still looked at the senator.

"At David's" Huck said.

"Okay, Quinn and Harrison talk to the mother and arrange a meeting. Huck check Travis's background and check the girl's mother's background as well."

Olivia walked back to talk to the Senator and took a seat right in front of him. "This is about damage control, your secret will come out sooner or later. But we want to control the whens and hows. You need to talk to your wife, she'll have to get down from her high horse and face the reality of life; her husband wasn't a virgin. You'll have to convince her to support you, after all divorce is obviously not an option, you should be thankful for that."

Travis paled visible but nodded his head in agreement. Olivia walked him to the door, returning to her office she collected her things and yelled, "I'm going out, call me."

Olivia entered the small room at the hospital and paused briefly to take a good look at Verna Thornton, before she continued her walk to the elderly woman.

"Are you here again?" Verna gave Olivia a look of disproval.

Olivia smiled and took a seat next to Verna and patted her hand affectingly.

"You don't have time to nurse an old lady, Olivia."

"I always have time for you Verna. I'm in no rush." Olivia studied Verna, the chemotherapy was kind to Verna, so far, she had avoided mayor side effects but she looked tired and pale.

"I would have thought you were busy, Olivia?"

Olivia sighed, "I am, but I always have time for you."

Verna gave her a hard look, "you look better, more happy. Seems you've come to your senses and gave the poor man a break?" When Olivia didn't comment Verna said, "don't be so stubborn, you are not committing treachery by loving the President, and I won't kiss and tell."

"But it's wrong."

"No it's not! You are adults and know what you are doing, you two are made for each other. Besides, the last time I checked he was getting a divorce, it's not a state secret."

Olivia breathed deeply, "no, it's not. We need to speed up the divorce process. It's already interfering with the President's political agenda and leaves him vulnerable."

"I agree." Verna stated.

From the hospital Olivia drove to the Supreme Court to talk to Judge Lawson, he welcomed her into his office.

"Thank you for your help with Oliver, he is already in treatment and is committed."

"I'm glad to hear that, Walker." Olivia smiled warmly at the elder man.

"But I don't think you've come to talk about Oliver, how can I help you, Olivia?"

Olivia liked his forwardness, "we need to speed the President's divorce process up, the normal six months is unacceptable."

Olivia stopped by Patrick Keating's office and he welcomed her in.

"I can't thank you for how you helped me and my wife, I've worked for this chance to be appointed to the Supreme Court most of my life. Thank you, Ms Pope."

"Thank the President, he believed in you and still does."

"He's a good man, I hate the mess he's in now. Poor man!"

Olivia smiled mildly, "a wife's bad decisions can end careers." She watched how anger, guilt and shame crossed his face. "We need the President to be divorced soon, very soon."

"I'm a strong supporter of our President, Ms Pope." Keating declared.

The oval office was empty when Olivia walked through the door, so she continued directly into her temporally office in the small room behind the oval office and sat down. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed and enjoyed a quiet moment, that unfortunately only lasted for a few moments.

Fitz and Cyrus walked through the oval office and into hers.

"Are you informed instantly when I come to the White House?" Olivia joked,

Fitz looked sheepishly, "as a matter of fact I am."

Olivia mildly surprised, Fitz tended to be a little possessive but to the sweet side. She smiled warmly at him, it was nice to see him and he returned her smile with a heated glare full of promises. "I've always been informed as soon as you entered the White House."

"We have two-third of the House for now but it will be tight until the divorce is final. The VP hasn't come with a statement yet, but rumor has it that she is gathering ammunitions to move to the big league." Cyrus paced the room. "I really, really do want to keep my job, and I also would like to spend just one night home in the near future, but I fear the latter is most likly to turn into days. This is still not looking good."

"Get the participants from the meeting about the situation in East Sudan to comment on the meeting today, that will show the country that the President is focused on his job. Call the British Prime Minister and the German Chancellor and make a joint statement that you are working together to solve the situation there, and release it at the same time in all three countries." Olivia looked from Fitz to Cyrus.

"Got it." Cyrus said.

"The divorce will be final within a month, work on the settlement right away."

Fitz looked at her with surprise, "that was fast?"

Olivia stared right back at him, "is that a problem?" She held her breath suddenly feeling insecure and afraid that he had regretted the separation.

Fitz held her stare and the world stopped spinning and nothing but he mattered. "No, it is not a problem, on the contrary it is a good piece of news, thank you." He spoke softly.

"Okay, the play time is over." Cyrus broke in, obviously bothered by their private moment, "the President is still married, behave accordingly!" He waited until Fitz sat down and took his own seat, "well done, Olivia. You've done the impossible in Washington DC rushed a divorce through. Glad that you're on our team."

"It's time for the President to have a talk with his VP," Olivia stated and handed Fitz the folder she had come to give him. "This will be a help." She promised.

He accepted the folder with a doubting look. "Politic is dirty, Fitz." Olivia whispered. "Yeah, that's the part I don't like." He whispered back.

Back at Olivia Pope and Associates Olivia wanted an update on the Travis case. The team met in the conference room, Abby who finally had graced the office with her sunny face was plastering pictures up on the wall.

"Good to see you, Abby" Olivia greeted.

"Hey Olivia, see you found your way to work today, nice of you." Abby looked up and down at Olivia, "I would've voted no to this case, another smart boy running from his responsibility."

"Then it was nice of you to oversleep." Olivia took in Abby's appearance, she looked happy so maybe the secret affair with Davis Rosen was good for her, which was regrettable. Love was never easy. Olivia hated that only one outcome of Davis and Abby's affair was acceptable.

"Huck, anything on Travis?"

"He wasn't a religious man until recently, has a bachelor in Commerce and worked at Unilever until he was elected into the Senate. When he courted Mary- Ann he found God and the right wing of the Republican party. Smoked marihuana as young, nothing big and dated a lot of women."

"The mother?"

Quinn looked up, "her name is Tammy Johnson, she a widow and kindergarten teacher at the local school. The daughter's name is Emily Johnson, she is nine."

Harrison added, "she will meet you today."

"So we do not know much yet." Olivia was not pleased.

"Oh, we know the senator doesn't like commitment unless power and money comes along with it. He will make a good Governor. Nice guy and good role model for the kids." Abby stated ironically.

Olivia stopped outside the small house on the quiet road in the very nice and friendly neighborhood. The small house was yellow with a white door and white window frames, and the small lawn was well-kept. The house was a house for a family with a middle class income, not too expensive, but too expensive for a single mother working as a teacher.

Olivia got out of the car, walked to the door and knocked, a girl with brown hair and big brown eyes answered the door. "Hello, my name is Olivia Pope may I speak to you mom."

"Mommy!" The girl yelled and turned again to look at Olivia, "I'm Emily."

"Hallo, Emily." Olivia smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Before Emily could answer, Tammy came to the door and the girl forgot all about Olivia, "mom, can I play with Jossie, please."

"Yeah, you may play with Jossie. See you honey," The girl grinned happily and ran to the house next door. "I am Tammy Johnson and I take that you are Olivia Pope?"

Olivia nodded.

"Do come in." Olivia stepped into the neat and clean house. It was clearly a home with a child in it but not messy in any way and friendly looking. Olivia took the offered seat on the couch and accepted a cup of coffee.

"You do know why I am here?" Olivia asked. She guessed that Tammy was in her mid thirties.

"Yeah, I called Jack as soon as the saw the journalist sneaking around trying to take pictures of Emily."

"You have contact with Senator Travis?"

A frown filled Tammy's face, "very rarely. He made it very clear when he engaged Mary-Ann that he was out of our lives. He always wanted to go places."

"You were okay with that?" Olivia suspected the opposite.

"No, I was disappointed that he could walk away from his daughter without looking back, I had hoped that Jack would find happiness in a simple life but this wasn't for him, and I guess that's why he never wanted to get married. He always talked about running for the Senate." She smiled, "that's what made me fall in love with him, he was so different from Chris."

"Chris was your husband?"

"Yeah, we got married when I was 22 and he was 25, two years later he was death. He was in the military, that and a family was all he wanted from life, not a big dream of power and money. He would never have walked away from his child." Tammy's voice was full of regrets.

"Did Chris die in line of duty, Mrs. Johnson?"

"Just call me Tammy, yes but in a freak accident, some equipment blew up and Chris was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Tammy sounded sad, "I met Jack the same year and he helped me overcome my grief and see that I could still have a family. Jack just didn't want a family yet."

"But you had Emily?" Olivia fished for more information.

Tammy smiled joyously, "yeah, we had Emily, she wasn't planned but we were careless and a baby came along. I was thrilled but Jack wasn't, but he always loved Emily, he just wasn't a family man. We settled into a routine until he met Mary-Ann."

"Did you live together?"

Tammy nodded, "he moved out just before he met Mary-Ann said he need the space, and time to figure out what he wanted. He wasn't much home the last few months, anyhow. It was hard on Emily."

"Do you want anything from Jack Travis, Tammy? Have you thought about talking to the journalist?"

Tammy hugged herself like she suddenly felt cold, "I haven't talk with any journalist but Jack is listed as Emily's father, so the kinship will be hard to keep a secret. What I want from Jack?" Tammy pauses, "I want him to realize how much Emily misses him but I'll never demand that he sees her, in some ways, he not an easy man to love, but he can be very charming."

"He never promised to marry you?"

"No never, and I never expected it." Tammy looked straight at Olivia, "in some ways, it was easier not to be married."

The President welcomed his Vice President into the oval office, "Sally, it's good to see you. I trust your family is fine?"

Sally looked expectedly at him, "just fine, Mr. President. I guess the same can't be said about your family?" Sally smiled pointedly at him.

Fitz smiled ruefully, "it depends from which point you see it. I'm in good shape, if that was what you were wondering about."

"Marriage should never be taken lightly, Mr. President. It says a lot about the person to give up a union made before God. A lot of voters are deeply hurt and disappointed by your moral devaluation."

"Thank you for your honesty, Sally. I can assure you that my moral is intact and far from devalued." Sally gave him a doubtful look. "Sally, we have been through this before. I have two-third of the House, but I hear that I don't have your support. You realize that no Vice President has been elected president without the support from the former President, and that if you use pro tempore and won, your time as acting President would be counted as one period and you could only be elected once hereafter?"

Sally studied him calmly, her ambition and eagerness for processing the presidential powers and duties were easily read in her eyes. "That is a sacrifice I'm willing to make to serve the people and lead them on the right moral path."

Fitz kept a straight face, "the right moral path, that's not easy to lead people down that path, and it requires a stainless reputation." He paused and gave Sally the time to nod in righteous acknowledge. "Are you aware that Reverend Wilkes' son- in- law, Senator Travis, has a daughter out of wedlock, and that he lived unmarried with the mother of his child before he met the Reverend's daughter? Isn't the Reverend Godfather to your oldest daughter and very a close friend and supporter of you and your husband?"

Sally swallowed, "yes, Reverend Wilkes and his wife are close friends, but I don't believe that our friendship will be an issue interfering with running this country."

"The right moral path, excuse me, I've forgotten the name of your oldest daughter. Is she well after the abortion? I hear that she has a bit of a drinking problem, a shame at such a young age. The police escorted her home once or twice the last month?"

Sally Langston swallowed harder this time, "Mr. President, my support won't be an issue, I support my President as I always have." She rose and offered him her hand.

Fitz took it and held it tightly for several seconds, "don't forget to keep on supporting me, Madame Vice President." Sally swallowed again before she nodded, "the right moral path is difficult to steer at, Sally." He offered in farewell.

Not long after Fitz said goodbye to Sally, Olivia and Cyrus walked into the oval office, they had followed the news steam for an updating together.

"Sally saw her ways and is now a supporter of her President, she just needed a little persuasion, and she realized how fragile her own little house was." Fitz leaned back in the armchair and rested his head against it.

"Good job, Mr. President." Cyrus leaned forward in the chair and stared at Fitz, "Reverend Wilkes has raised some questions about the fatherhood of your children on a small, local news channel in Texas." Cyrus paused, "they are your children, right?"

Olivia froze and turned her attention to Fitz, who was lying in his armchair and studied them through half closed eyes, "I hope so, I have never questioned that and I won't."

"I'll fix this too," Olivia sighed.

"How did you know about Wilkes's son- in- law?" Fitz pushed his body up in the chair and watched her. "The son-in-law is my client." Olivia glared back at him.

"It's a small world."

"No, it's just that all the sharks and monsters come to Washington, at least the ones with political interest. Wilkes's son-in-law…?" Cyrus turned his head towards Olivia.

"He wants to play with the adults. Governor." She explained.

"Where?" Fitz asked.

Olivia smiled tiredly, "Texas!"

"Of course." Cyrus was alert again, the break was over, "perhaps this part time job at the White House isn't so bad at all, it seems agreeable with your company."

"Don't go there, Cyrus." Olivia warned, "I'm off to work, my real work." She wasn't smiling.