Olivia wasn't sure how the days that followed unfolded. She, Fitz, and James all worked on autopilot. Abby, Quinn, Harrison and Huck had handled everything. It seemed as though Cyrus has prepared for the worst and left instructions with the Gladiators knowing that Liv, James and Fitz wouldn't be in any shape in the event that it not had turned out the way they had all hoped and prayed it would.

A press release was held only hours after Cyrus' death. At his request, it was Liv who made the announcement. He knew the optics would be powerful, but beyond that he wanted it to be his dearest friend to be the one to announce his death. It made it personal. Fitz stood beside Olivia as she made the announcement. Like twin pillars who held each other up. They stood strong, united for their beloved friend whom they lost way too soon.

They had barely exchanged any words, but they couldn't bear to be apart from the other. Liv and the rest of her crew had flown home on Air Force One along with James, Ella and Cyrus. She had agreed to stay at Blair House with James and Ella, after refusing to stay in the White House with Mellie. In the spirit of solidarity the rest of her Gladiators did too.

As they disembarked the plane, Gerry, Karen and stood beside Mellie waiting. As soon as he had come out they had ran over to him flinging their arms around him, while Mellie followed close behind playing the doting wife she played so well. Liv a carried Ella as James stood by her. After Fitz had released his children and picked up his youngest into his arms Gerry and Karen rushed straight to Liv hugging her fiercely. They had missed her, and they were sorry that she had lost Cyrus knowing what he meant to her, and to their father.

"Hey Monkeys, it's so good to see you both." James had taken Ella after both Gerry and Karen had hugged him offering their condolences. Gerry looped an arm through Liv's, whilst Karen did the same on the other side. It was hard to miss that they shared a bond and a genuine love for each other, one that had Mellie seething beneath her southern belle smile.

There were several vehicles lined up to take them all back to the White House and Blair House and without a word Gerry and Karen had climbed into Liv and James'. Mellie would have protested but she knew it wasn't time to time to push Fitz. Liv, James and the Gladiators had gpne straight to Blair House. They were going to b e planning for the arrangements to follow from there. There were many decisions to make post funeral, but Liv wasn't ready to entertain those pressing thoughts in her mind and especially her heart.

Fitz and Olivia were the only ones Cyrus' had wanted to eulogize him. He didn't want to put James through it, and there really was no one else qualified to do justice on who Cyrus Beene was with the exception of his closest friend and the president who he stood by through thick and thin. Both Fitz and Olivia had seen the very best and the very worst of him, and despite how it ended with him and Fitz, he knew deep down that the love and respect between them ran wide and long.

As Fitz stood to eulogise Cyrus, his eyes immediately met Olivia's. It was as though his soul always knew where she would be and his heart just sought her out. She held his gaze, trying to pour as much support and strength as she could in her eyes, knowing when it would be her turn, she would be doing the same. Fitz took a deep breath,

"Where does one start? Cyrus Beene was stubborn, oobstinant and ruthless. He was the epitome of 'take no prisoners'. When he fought for something, nothing else mattered. With the same strength, Cyrus Beene was loyal, and loyal he was to a fault. When he believed in someone it blinded him. I was fortunate enough to be one of those people in his life that he believed in. He didn't run my campaign because he thought I could be a good president. He wasn't my chief of staff because he thought we could change the world. He ran my campaign because he believed more than anyone, myself included that I deserved to win because there was something in me that he believed could offer the world greatness. He pushed me to be great. He pushed me to believe in myself. Cyrus had enough political ambition to run for president himself, but he always saw himself to be limited, so instead, he took a chance on a Governor who was groomed for such a privilege and believed in him till he believed in himself. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Cyrus. Cyrus told me once that he would slay dragons for me, and he did. More often that even I would probably even know. I know how lucky I am to have had that, and I don't take that for granted. Not for a second." Fitz paused and looked right at Liv, as though willing her to acknowledge that me meant it. The look in her eyes told him she did.

"Cy, words can't begin to express how much I'll miss you. That I wish you knew just how much you mean to me and how much I valued your friendship and your counsel. Know that however many days I have to sit as the president, it will be dedicated to you and the vision you fought so hard to keep us on track for. I do love you old man. More than you'll ever know."

With the exception of the sniffling all around, there wasn't a peep in the church. Both Gerry and Karen turned to Liv who sat behind them and placed a comforting hand on her arm as she stood to her feet to give her eulogy. She smiled at them both and forced herself to march up the pulpit. Propriety be damned, Fitz did not return to his seat. Instead he held out a hand a she walked up the stairs and gave her cheek a kiss before she took her place. She noted that he did not make a move to go back to his seat and seemingly had no plan to. She like him took a deep breath before beginning.

"I have known Cyrus Beene since I was a college freshman. I have had the privilege of knowing him professionally but more than that, I got to know him personally. Whether we admitted it or not, we filled an important void in each other's life. He had become a father figure, and I had become the daughter he didn't get till later on in life. As most father and daughter relationships go, we had our fair share or ups and down. We mostly agreed to disagree, and that's because when we both believed in something, we fought hard for it. When Cyrus grew sick, his focus changed. He wanted to make sure that if the moment came that life would have the audacity to go on without him, that he would bear no regret. The man that was once was so ambitious, so work driven, was suddenly determined to make sure that he had tied up his lose ends, that he would provide for his daughter Ella and husband James, that he would make the heartfelt apologies he thought he needed to make. On the night before his operation, he had found me sitting on my balcony in Paris lost in my own thoughts I didn't even hear him come into my home. Always like a ninja," she added with a small smile earning a several chuckles.

"He told me he was ready, and I of course told him to shut it but he begged me to listen. He said that knowing that James knew how much he loved him and how much he loved Ella was enough. That he didn't always know it, but the night before what could be his last night, he got it. They are all that mattered. That his family was all that mattered and that I was a part of that family. Whilst Cyrus Beene is mostly known as the President's right hand man, he was more than that. He was a husband, a father and a friend. His legacy will live on, and it's a great one. Ella will know every day of her life how much her father loved her, because I will be there to tell her that he did. I can't begin to express how much I am going to miss him, how I wish he was still here for my to fight with," Liv found herself caught in sob grief overtaking her. Fitz placed a hand on her shoulder trying to get her to the next base, but as she looked up at him he knew, she couldn't. He had wordlessly taken the paper she had in her hand and began from where she had left off,

"Cyrus had this annoying trait of expecting so much from those he believed in and it angered him when you didn't rise to the challenge or fell short of who he believed you to be. Whilst one might resent it whilst in the midst of it, it was his way of loving you. If he didn't love you so much, he wouldn't believe in you so much. My world will not be the same without it. I love you Cyrus Beene. Rest in Peace." Fitz handed Liv her eulogy before they made their way back down to their seats.

After the service there was a small gathering at Blair House which consisted only of the West Wing senior staff, some aides, the Grants, gladiators and Liv. When everyone had left, James and Liv sat side by side on the couch exhausted, heads thrown back.

"What do you want to do James?" she asked looking up at the ceiling. She wasn't the only one with a list of decisions to make.

"I don't know Liv. Honestly I don't. Never did I think for a moment that he would die. He is Cyrus Beene for goodness sake."

"You have some time James, don't feel like you have to rush into making any life changing decisions now."

"And you, have you given yourself the opportunity to wrap your head around the decisions that await you?"

"God no."

"Would you consider it?" he asked

"Even when he's dead he continues to infuriate me." James laughed,

"He wouldn't be Cyrus if he wasn't strategic down to his last breath,"

"Don't I know it?"