DISCLAIMER: Scandal and its characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and ABC/Disney.

July 12, 2007

"… the California Governor's divorce announcement shocked the political world."

"No one saw that coming…"

"… the youngest Governor in California history, seen as a rising star in the GOP. Everyone is wondering what this means for his rumored presidential run. Many thought he would be a shoo-in for the nomination."

"… a lot of unanswered questions."

"… He's not even in the race yet but, Fitzgerald Grant III just became the most interesting candidate in my opinion."

"… the soon-to-be ex-Mrs. Grant has not been seen or heard from since the Governor's press conference."

"… Olivia Pope, rumored to be managing the Grant divorce."

"… no words yet from the rest of the Grant family."

"… there is a lot of speculation about the conspicuous absence of Mellie Grant at the press conference announcing her divorce.

"… political analysts say that this is a risky move for a presidential hopeful."

"The one question on everyone's mind tonight? What happened to make Grant want to risk the presidency?"

"… Sally Langston attacking Grant for what she sees as a lack of commitment to family values."

"… he is one of the most popular governors, with an approval rating of 68%."

"I wish I had called this press conference under better circumstances. However, this is the way of life. These have been trying times for my family and myself. We had hoped that things would work out differently, alas that was not the case. That is why I stand here before you, to announce the regrettable end of my marriage to Mellie Grant. Like many marriages, ours went through ups and downs, but as parents, we must prioritize the wellbeing of our children which is why we have chosen this path. This is not a decision taken lightly. After a lot of consideration, we came to sadly came to the conclusion that was what was best for our family.

As a public servant, I understand that certain aspects of private life are of import to the public. However, my first priority is my children, which is why I'll be taking some take away from the public eye to commiserate with them. I will answer all of your questions at a later date. But I would like to ask that you grant us some privacy in this difficult moment, particularly for my children."

Those were the words spoken by the Governor of California, Fitzgerald Grant III, outside his ranch in Santa Barbara. Governor Grant, 36, met his future wife, Millicent 'Mellie' Montgomery while attending Harvard Law School. The two have been married for 12 years. They have two children, Fitzgerald "Gerry" Grant IV and Karen, both age 10.

Grant Ranch - Santa Barbara, CA

The moment Fitz was done talking, Liv was already working. Everything about today would be about the surprise of the announcement, and speculations, about what happened, about what it meant for Fitz, about what would happen with divorce. Tomorrow, there would be a narrative going around the punditry. She needed to make sure that it was their narrative that carried the day. Once Fitz left, all of the attention snapped to her.

She raised her hands to calm everyone down.

"Let's try to be civilized. I'll answer as many questions as I can, but we need to have some semblance of order." Everyone nodded. She pointed at someone to ask a question.

"Divorces, don't just come out of the blue, so why now?"

"The Governor will speak about his motivations himself. But I do believe he put his children first in making his decision." She pointed at someone else.

"Is he leaving the Republican Party?"

"I do not believe that to be the case, but you would have to ask the Governor."

"Why was Mrs. Grant not present today?"

"I don't think I can speak for her. You would have to reach out to her and ask."

"What's going to happen to the children?"

"The children will reside, primarily with the Governor, until the divorce decree is issued."

"When will the Governor answer our questions?"

"Once he has tended to his duties, first and foremost as a father, the Governor will be at your disposal, to answer your questions."

Watching Liv wrangle with the gaggle of reporters assembled at the Ranch, was fascinating to Cyrus. She looked fully in her element as she took control of the room. She would be a terrific communications director once they hit the trail. If it were someone other than Olivia Pope, he wouldn't be worried at the thought that she could do her job well. But he couldn't help thinking that it wouldn't be long before she came for his job. If there ever was a person he thought could do his job better than himself, it would be Olivia Pope. She already had Fitzgerald's ear so it wouldn't be a stretch for her to extend her reach into his territory.

"Kim, how are you?" She answered a call from Kimberly Mitchell.

"I would be better if you could give me something on the Governor." She retorted.

"You know, I can't do that, he's a client."

"Come, on. The wife wasn't even at the press conference. It had to be an affair."

"Don't you start. The only thing I can tell you is that he is really doing it for his children."

"Can you at least confirm that he's running for president?"

"Kim, you know me better than that." She joked and they both laughed.

"Let's grab lunch when you're back in DC."

"Sure thing." She said hanging up.

"If only you saw him with his kids, you wouldn't be so skeptical." She retorted to Noah Baker.

"Liv, all politicians say they're family men, particularly Republicans."

"Ask around his kids' school if you don't believe me. This is a modern man trying to do right by his kids."

"What about the affair?"

"What affair?" Liv volleyed back.

"There are rumors that the soon-to-be ex-Mrs. Grant had an affair."

"Noah, I thought you were better than to chase after rumors. Show me something concrete, then we can talk. Otherwise, the only thing I can tell you, is that Governor Grant is a dedicated father of two, who's doing his best to be there for his children in a difficult moment." She said hanging up.

They hadn't talked about what to do if Mellie's affairs ever came to light. Although they had agreed not to air them themselves, they had not talked about what would happen if they ever came out through other means. She needed to figure out a game plan, for that inevitability. It was already in the either, sooner rather than later, it would come out. They needed to be ready for that moment.

"Seriously, James, the guy should be made the father of the year. Ask whoever you want, they'll tell you the same thing." She was pacing around her hotel room while speaking to James Novak, an investigative reporter.

"A little birdie told me that the Dynasty never took a liking to her."

"It's nothing like that. They were young and wanted to make it into the world on their own without being so reliant on their family. You know it's true, otherwise, you'd be screaming to the hills about how he still mooches off of his family's money."

"Come on, Liv, you don't tell me you believe that."

"Of, course I do. We all do it. It's called citing the cord. Except that he didn't move to a new state, he became financially self-reliant. I thought you would love that, a member of the 1% who actually knows the value of hard work?"

"I just think there is more to this story."

"You can go to Lemoore yourself if you don't believe me. You might actually get to know the guy."

"Still, what's your angle in this? They are practically Royalty in California, they could have brought in the top divorce lawyers in the state if not the country. Why you? It's not your specialty." He pressed.

"I am here because a hard-working man doesn't need to lose his job because he decided to put his kids first. Tell you what, look into it and get back to me if you think I'm wrong." She said hanging up.

This might be a problem if she didn't nip it in the bud. No one wanted Mellie to come out of this looking like the victim of a wealthy and powerful family. Fitz had asked them to stay out of it, but Olivia wasn't convinced that they would listen. She had to make sure that the entire clan stayed in line.

"I need a meeting with Senator Grant first thing in the morning."

"The Senator has a full day tomorrow." Answered a young voice, probably an intern.

"Tell him, it's Olivia Pope. We'll meet in his office at 10." She hung up before she could hear more of the staffer's protests.

"I need to speak to Ari," Olivia said serenely.

"Who are you? I don't think, I can make it happen. But I can take a message, who's looking for her?"

"Tell her it's Olivia Pope. She'll want to talk to me. And since you're a good assistant, you'll make it happen." She said hanging up.

"I'm calling for Judge Sterling."

"M'am, the judge is held up for the moment. Can I take a message?"

"Tell him it's Olivia Pope, he'll want to talk to me."

She waited until an older man's voice came through the phone.

"Olivia Pope, I didn't expect to hear from you." He said. "How are you going to get Tripp out of this mess?" He asked with disbelief apparent in his voice.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out your honor." She replied calmly. It was not the first time people doubted her abilities, and she knew it wouldn't be the last. "I need to talk to you in the morning."

"I'm not sure what I can do for Tripp, at this time. The boy dug his own political grave. And, such a shame. I had great hopes for him."

"I'm not asking you to help the Governor, but I need to see you in the morning. I'm already meeting the Senator. I'll be in your office by lunch."

"Well. Hold on. I am not taking orders from you." He muttered with indignation.

"If you want your nephew to be the next president of the United States, you'll meet me in your office for lunch." She said with an air of finality.

"Now hold on, young lady." He started to say.

"I'll see you tomorrow. And I expect your answer to be 'no comment' if you get any media inquiries before then.

"Ari, how are you? Thank you for getting back to me." Olivia said with a false cheeriness.

"You sure, know how to make a name for yourself," replied the legendary director and studio executive.

"I try," was her answer. "I need to talk to you tomorrow," she said

"Now, honey, you know I'm a busy woman."

"I know you are. But you'll make the time. I'm already meeting with Senator Grant and Judge Sterling. Let's say around 3?" Olivia said.

The other woman was impressed. She made a mental note to keep an eye out for Olivia Pope, the woman was playing four-dimensional check when the rest of the world was playing checkers. Fitzgerald had asked them to stay out of the spectacle that was his divorce. Ms. Pope must have figured out that they might go rogue on her. It was no secret that they had wanted that wretched woman out of Tripp's life, and would do anything to make sure she never went anywhere near him again. Olivia Pope had figured out the people who kept the family in line and went to them directly, instead of trying to browbeat them all into submission. This was her way of telling them that it was her show, Millicent was her dragon to slay, and they better stay out of it. She was confident and hadn't been intimidated by either man. The fact that she had not assumed her husband spoke for her was also a plus in her book. If she had been inclined to play matchmaker, Ari would have sworn that she was the ideal woman for her son.

"I'll see you then, dear." She looked forward to their meeting.

Manhattan, New York, NY

The events of that day were a blur as if he had been operating on auto mode since that morning. He barely members what he said at the press conference. He's vaguely aware of being bombarded by paparazzi, all the way to the airport. He can see a driver picking them up at the airport. He had put the kids to bed and sequestered himself off from the world.

Since learning the truth about Mellie, had run his life over and over again in his mind. Had he been that gullible? How could he have been so naive? Of course, he had known that people had their own agendas where he was concerned. But, Mellie had been his friend. And apparently, friendship came with a price tag in his case. Learning about Mellie had made him question all the relationships in his life. Were those people really his friends, or did they expect something from him? Could he trust them, or was he just a meal card to them?

One thing this saga had taught him was that greed corrupted everything. It had also convinced him of the need to overhaul his entire inner circle. He needed people he could trust. And right now, the only name that came to mind was Liv. Learning about Mellie had also persuaded him to finally have a sit-down with his family. They needed to lay all their cards on the table. He wasn't sure what would happen, but he couldn't live in this limbo anymore. One way or another, he needed to know whether he was severing ties with his parents completely, or try to mend the relationship.

Unable to sleep, he had gone for a walk around Times Square. New York, was bustling as ever, even at 3 in the morning. He had always loved how vibrant the city was. No one aside from Liv and the family pilot knew where they were going. Once they were cruising away from California, had come to appreciate just how much, the three of them needed some time away. He had tuned out the world completely since entering the jet, and he felt at peace, for the first time in a while. For the first time in a while, he didn't feel lonely. The irony of the situation was not lost on him. He was always surrounded by people, yet felt utterly alone. Yet, standing by himself here, one among millions, he felt more connected to humanity than ever. He was alone but he was not lonely. He went back to his penthouse reinvigorated, and with a newfound levity.

He had woken up that morning, in California, ready to begin a new chapter in his life. And as he laid in that bed, in Manhattan, he resolved to put the past to bed so he could fight for the future he wanted.

July 13, 2007

Santa Barbara Municipal Airport

Olivia felt restless. She had a million things to do that way and was running on very little sleep. She had received the new numbers as she was leaving her hotel. Fitz's approval ratings had dropped by almost 20 points. He was barely above water, but she could work on it. The total silence, from Fitz, Mellie, and the Grant family, had allowed her to see what Fitz's baseline was like. The first batch of numbers indicated people's visceral reaction, and she had anticipated them to be bad. They had been bad, but not as catastrophic as she or Cyrus feared.

The narrative would start changing soon. Most of the airport was deserted, and there she was, looking at the four monitors by the coffee shop. The Morning shows on the East Coast were going on air soon. Their narrative would set the tone for everyone else.

"… Of, course I believe that he's doing this for his kids. I mean, this is a guy who makes it to every Parent-Teacher conference. He never misses a play or piano recital. If he says that a divorce is what's best for his kids, then he knows what he's talking about."

"… Can we also talk about the fact he has done his best to keep his children out of the public eye, until now?"

"… talking about how it would tank his presidential ambitions. I mean, show me more integrity than willing to risk the presidency by putting your kids first."

"…And, the first thing he did after the announcement, wasn't to parade his children around in order to elicit sympathy. He stepped away from the spotlight, knowing that it would fuel speculations, in order to be there for his children.

"… He is a modern man. He doesn't leave the child-rearing to others but is actively involved in raising his children, not just being a provider."

" Are we saying that we'd rather politicians lie to us about their picture-perfect families, instead of worrying about their wellbeing?"

"Even today, women remain disproportionately responsible for child-rearing, it is nice to see a man, particularly in a position of power, be so involved with his children."

"… It sounds like a party of family values that don't actually value families."

Olivia smiled to herself, Fitz would recover at least 10 percentage points before the end of the day. It was now time to ensure that his family didn't destroy all of her hard work.

Manhattan, New York, NY

It was a glorious morning, and Fitz felt chipper. He was going to spend the day with his kids, and he no longer felt like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He made breakfast and went to wake up the twins. Like when they were younger, they had slept in the same bed. That told Fitz that the divorce was affecting them more than they let on.

At that moment, he was again grateful that Liv had suggested the getaway. This gave him the opportunity to ensure that they didn't close themselves to the world. Gerry was already private as it was, he didn't need his son, shutting down the whole world except his twin. And Karen, he didn't want her to miss out on her childhood because she was worried about either her or Gerry.

"Guys, you gotta wake up." He said shaking Keith who held his sister tightly. He was always very protective of Karen. They both groaned as he took the cover from them.

"Dad, seriously, let us sleep. We're both exhausted," groaned Karen.

"I know you guys are tired but, if you don't wake up, you won't find sleep at night. Besides, made breakfast."

Karen shit up immediately and asked, "Blueberry pancakes?"

"Yes, Kare-Bear." He replied. "And yes, I made French toast for you Ger."

In an instant, they were both very much awake and sprinted to the kitchen. Fitz followed them chuckling to himself. Breakfast was a lovely affair. Fitz hoped that there would be many more mornings like this one in the future.

Once the food was done and the dishes cleared, Fitz sat down with them.

"Kids, I know yesterday was a very emotional day for everyone. I just want you to know that I'm always here if you ever want to talk."

"Even if you're working?" Karen asked.

"Yes, even if I'm working. I'll always make time for you and your brother." He said looking at each of them.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked. Karen shook her head but Gerry looked like he wanted to say something.

"What is it, son?" Fitz encouraged.

After a deep breath, Gerry asked, "Can we talk tonight?"

"Of, course, champ." He replied. It was a small step in the right direction.

"Now, guys, you need to shower, so we can cross number one off the list." He told them, lightening the mood.

The lists had been a compromise Fitz brokered between the two of them. They had bickered about what to do in New York, most of the flight over. So, he had asked each one of them to come up with a list of 10 places they wanted to visit in New York, and they would all go there. They had both been surprised when they realized that half of their lists were identical. On the top of their list, today was the Statue of Liberty.

Once in his own room, he turned on his phone for the first time in 24 hours.

Voicemail: 23 new voicemails

Text Message: 78 new messages

Call: 37 missed calls

Email: 119 unread emails

He decided not to worry about any of it. If he had been needed, Liv knew how to get in touch with him. Or someone would have reached out to his security detail. It was a glorious day and he was going to enjoy spending time with his kids.

Please tell me what you think. Your opinions are welcomed and desired.

JLG20