A/N: A couple of nights ago I landed like a dud in this forum. I was mentally exhausted (because of my day job) and feeling like I had run out of gas, creatively. But several of you posted messages or pm-ed me to cheer me up and not to give up. Special thanks to: Inspired to read, Limepalmtree, Real Camille, Chocolate 1, SweetGirl83, Scandalicious, Steplove1, ChasingPavements7, Maverick37, TartanTrace, Guest1, Guest2.

Writing this story has been unbelievably fun, so thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me this opportunity to entertain you.

Can I just say that this forum is incredible. The community here is so giving, friendly and supportive. There are some amazing writers on this Scandal fan fiction site, but I truly believe that this community wouldn't be what it is without the fans, the faithful and passionate readers like you who visit this site daily and post comments and reviews. I probably would've abandoned this story during the second week if it weren't for the support and encouragement that I got from many of you.

Gratitude always,

Neo

Chapter 24: Heartburn

"That was a hell of a speech tonight."

Fitz turned around to find Mellie standing there. They were in the White House residence, in their bedroom, and Mellie came out of the bathroom wearing a white spa robe.

"Thanks," Fitz grunted.

"No, I mean it," Mellie said sincerely. "That was one hell of a speech. Did you write it?"

"I had some help," Fitz replied, taking off his jacket and loosening his tie.

"To all the tyrants and barbarians out there who wish to destroy and defile all that we hold dear…," Mellie recited Fitz's words back to him. "That speech was about Olivia, wasn't it? I mean, for her kidnappers, right?" she asked hesitantly.

"Mel...I'm really tired," Fitz sighed. "I can hardly think right now."

"OK, I understand," Mellie said in a soft voice.

Fitz sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed to remove his shoes.

"If it were me who had been kidnapped would you have…" Mellie continued.

"Mellie, please," Fitz interrupted, knowing full well where she was headed with her line of questioning.

"…would you have made the same speech? If someone had taken me, would you move heaven and earth to find me?" Mellie asked, a wisp of hopefulness in her voice.

Fitz, who remained seated, looked up at her. "Mel…"

"Don't answer that!" Mellie exclaimed. "I know the answer already."

"Mel, I…"

"No, no, don't say anything," Mellie interrupted, her voice cracking slightly. "When I think back on this moment, I don't want to remember it as a big fight or an argument, just simply a conversation."

An awkward silence descended upon them. Mellie walked over to the nightstand and picked up her hairbrush. Fitz continued to remove his shoes and then his socks. He got up and walked to the walk-in closet to take off the rest of his clothes. He was in the closet, taking off his shirt and pants, when Mellie's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Did you ever love me?" she asked.

Fitz exited the walk-in closet wearing his Navy T-shirt and boxers. "Mel, please, it's late. I'm tired…"

"It's a simple question and I'm your wife. I have a right to know. Did you ever love me?" Mellie asked again.

"You're the mother of my two beautiful children, so, of course…"

"Fitz, PLEASE, for ONCE tell me the TRUTH!" Mellie yelled in frustration. "I gave up my career for you! I gave up my own hopes and dreams for you! I had TWO KIDS for you! Can you please, PLEASE, just tell me the truth! JUST ONCE!"

Fitz looked at her aghast. It had been years since he had seen Mellie this emotionally vulnerable. He wanted to be considerate but realized that in a moment like this, where she was demanding honesty, it would be cruel to be kind. He had to be completely sincere.

"Mel, yes, there was a time way back in the early years that I thought I was in love with you, but it wasn't real love. It was all on the surface and it just kind of stagnated," Fitz said. "You're the mother of my children, so I'll always care about you. But no, I've never truly been in love with you."

Mellie exhaled sharply and sat down on the edge of the bed. She picked up her hairbrush and started brushing her hair. What Fitz had just said certainly didn't come as a surprise, but his words still stung. Never before had Fitz spoken so plainly and directly to Mellie about the state of his feelings, or lack of feelings, for her.

"Why Olivia? What does she have that I don't have? Is it because she's younger than me? More attractive than me? Better in bed than me?" Mellie asked.

"Mel, please, why are you torturing yourself like this?" Fitz asked, looking at her as he sat down next to her on the edge of the bed.

"No, I want to know. I really and truly want to know," Mellie replied, her eyes misty.

"I don't know how to explain it," he said. "I guess if I had to explain it I'd say that Olivia knows me." He paused and looked away. "She understands me. She gets me. When I see myself reflected in her eyes, I'm not the President or Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III or some symbol or some trophy. I'm just Fitz. I can be myself completely with her. When I think about her, I feel at home. When I'm with her, I am at home."

"And you never, not even once, felt that way with me?" Mellie asked.

"Honestly? No. I'm sorry to say that, but no," Fitz replied, turning to look at Mellie. "We've been together 20 years and I've always felt like I was playing a role with you. I always had to "be on" like an actor on a stage. I married you because that was what was expected of me. I know I'm just as much to blame for this failed marriage as you are, but we got together for the wrong reasons. For you, it was about social status and financial security. For me, it was about having a wife that checked all the right boxes of what my family and society told me I should look for in a wife. We never should've gotten married, Mel. We've never been right for one another."

Mellie's head was bowed and her whole posture was of a woman defeated. In her heart, she knew that what Fitz was saying was true but it still hurt like hell for her to hear it.

"So, what comes next?" she asked sadly.

"I don't know," said Fitz, looking straight ahead, unwilling to say anything more. Of course, he knew what came next but he was unwilling to say it out loud. Not then. Not now.

Mellie sensed this and looked directly at him.

"You know, Fitz, you know," she said with a wry smile. She leaned over and gave him a light peck on the cheek. "I guess we both have had enough honesty for one night."

A/N: Poor Mellie. I know she's one of the most hated characters on Scandal but she truly is a tragic figure. For a long time both she and Fitz were equally unhappy. Now Fitz has someone he's willing to sacrifice everything for and Mellie is like, "whoa, so that's what true love looks like," and she's a little wistful that she never had that with him. I think most women can relate to being the girl who gets rejected and even if you weren't in love with the guy doing the rejection, it still stings.

Next chapter will update the situation with Olivia. Thanks for reading and reviewing!