xoxo
X
"You want me to kill Jake Ballard?" He folds his arms across his chest, his gaze following her as she enters his apartment. "Why?"
"Because you're the only one capable." She sets her bag on the couch, turning to face him. "I can't ask anyone else. If I could, I wouldn't be here right now." She admits.
"You're the last person I would ever ask to do something like this."
He closes the door and walks over to the chair, sitting on its arm, gaze wandering over her. His decision is easy regarding the matter, but he needs the whole truth, not some sugar-coated bullshit.
"That doesn't answer my question as to why, Olivia. Don't talk around it, don't try to spin the situation, be real with me."
She inhales sharply, folding her arms across her chest as she moves to sit on the arm of the couch, head dropping to her lap. She's not used to Ryan seeing her just yet, but she knows he's right. She can't just stumble upon his doorstep asking him to do something so dangerous that it could lead to detrimental consequences blowing back on him.
She lifts her head with a heavy exhale, eyes welling with tears as she gazes at him. He's always composed, calm, transparent, and open to hearing the vilest things from her mouth and others. She doesn't know how he does it, but she can't pretend with him anymore now, and she won't. He wants the real, and he's going to get the real.
"I want my life back." She murmurs. "After standing in my truth, I realized that I don't want to be the Olivia that stands in the shadows. I want to stand in the light. All my demons, shortcomings, and failures are out in the open for once, and I'm not afraid. I owned up to everything for once, and it felt good." She quickly wipes her eyes.
"I asked you to kill Jake because he's just one part of the three-headed snake - the other two being Mellie and my father. They all need something from me that I no longer want to give."
"I can understand why you're at this place." He responds, folding his arms atop his lap. "Jake was always around, whispering in your ear, gaslighting you into believing that the dreadful woman you were at the time would be you the rest of your life. He constantly got into your ear about your father, reiterating that you are the most powerful woman in the world and that B613 would be everything you needed." He continues.
"I also know that he was the one who came up with the plan to kill Danny. You just didn't have a choice in the matter because the idea of me being the bad guy in your story consumed you, so it was easy for him to manipulate you into giving that order. So, I get it. I'm up to speed on, Ballard."
She nods. "I would do it myself, Ryan. I really would, but I'm afraid of what will happen if I do." Her voice trails off.
"Tell me why. Why are you afraid, and why do you think I can do this job?"
"Even with all my progress, I struggle to decipher between right and wrong internally. I am still struggling between good and evil." She inhales sharply, eyes still welling with tears. "You are the only one of us that can do this without ruining who you are." She jabs a finger at him.
"You are good, and you are light. You are everything I am not right now, so I need your help. And I know I shouldn't be here asking you to do this for me, but if I do this, there will be no chance I make it out unscathed." Her voice breaks.
"And all I want is a chance. I want a chance to show Olivia Pope how good I can be."
Her words resonate with him. Ryan was once at a place where he needed help and couldn't quite figure out what the hell was going on, but someone in his corner understood him as he understands her right now.
With his gaze shifting reflectively to nothing, he smiles.
"I had my answer the moment you asked, and I'm sure you know that answer." His gaze returns to her. "However, there's something you should know."
She nods, wiping her eyes. "What is it?"
"It was Mellie who tried to ruin you, courtesy of your father. I had Danny look into it, and he found out which leads me to this." He moves to his feet, grabbing the black folder off the coffee table and handing it to her. She holds onto it, but she doesn't open it.
"In that folder is every bad deed Mellie has ever done. Not even Fitz knows about half the shit in there. I'll have my words with Mellie, but it's up to you to decide her fate."
Olivia's mind begins to think of all the possible outcomes and choices regarding this matter as she tucks the folder into her bag. She's not surprised to hear Mellie and her father were in cahoots because they're both from the same side of the coin.
"Thank you, Ryan." She murmurs, sincere in her words. "I don't think I would be sitting here now if it weren't for you showing up when you did. And I don't think I've apologized for this, but I am tremendously sorry for putting Danny in harm's way. I wouldn't be able to live that down if something happened to him because of me."
"It's okay." He assures, moving to sit next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "And I'm sure Danny would say the same thing. Also, you never have to thank me because you're my sister. I'll always have your best interest at heart."
X
It's a relatively quiet day at QPA, bringing Huck, Quinn, and Marcus peace of mind. They can finally breathe. After they took part in helping bring those lost girls home, their clientele has increased tremendously, bringing on a range of jobs ranging from kidnappings to murders, fraud, embezzlement, and much more.
Gathered around the conference table, laughter fills the room as they discuss something funny regarding a case they took on long ago.
"No, the funniest thing was when Huck attempted a British accent." Quinn bursts into uncontrollable laughter.
"What was wrong with my accent?" He inquires, his gaze shifting from Quinn to Marcus. "I thought it was good."
"If that was you sounding British, then this is me sounding Caucasian." Marcus snickers, glancing over at Quinn before bursting into laughter.
Huck couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head in embarrassment.
"I never heard a British person speak, so I had to YouTube it. After hours of that stuff, I tried to mimic it, but I didn't do a good job."
"It's okay, Huck because your accent didn't ruin the case, thank God." She takes a deep breath, calming from the laughter. "It made it much, much better."
Marcus rests his head against the table, laughing at the thought, while Huck smiles, relishing in the vibe. It's much lighter than it was a few weeks ago. This change makes him happy.
"I like that we're all laughing again." His admittance brings the room to silence. "After everything that's happened, it feels good."
"Yeah, you're right, Huck," Quinn agrees. "For once, we have a moment to sit back and relax without worry."
"Speaking of a thing, has either of you spoken to Olivia?" Marcus inquires, leaning over the table. "I know her name isn't to be said here, but I'm curious. I mean, she is, after all, being crucified."
Quinn scoffs. "She deserves it."
"I disagree," Huck murmurs. "Us knowing what she did is different than the entire world knowing. Is what she did to us that horrible that you can't show an ounce of decency?"
"Decency?" She chuckles, shaking her head. She can't believe it. "She took all our lives and ruined them for her convenience, so I'm sorry if I'm not on team Olivia right now."
"Your life was ruined before Olivia came into the picture." He retorts. "Did you forget that your ex-husband helped rig the presidential election? And then when he was murdered, you were framed?"
She's taken aback by his remark. How could he be sitting here justifying Olivia's unfair treatment so easily? She can feel her blood boiling, and Marcus can too and attempts to alleviate it by calling her name, but she doesn't respond. All she can see is red.
Smashing her hands on the table, she rises to her feet.
"How dare you bring that up as if you weren't the one that took me away!" She exclaims. "You wanna talk about what I forgot? Let's talk about what you forgot. Did you forget that she took you in off the streets and turned you into some killer who can't grasp reality because he's so fucked up in the head?"
"I didn't." He shrugged it off, "but I made amends for my actions, and I'm tired of being angry at her because you are. You mention me taking you away, but you would be in prison if I hadn't."
They begin going back and forth. Quinn makes her dislike for Olivia the focal point, whereas Huck retaliates with facts regarding Quinn's inconsistencies while Marcus attempts to break it up. They're so focused on each other that they don't even realize that Jake had made his way in and had been listening to their heated disagreement.
"What a happy family." He quips, attracting their attention. "Hope I'm not interrupting."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Quinn asks, making her way over to him. "You have no business here."
"I do." He smiles, holding out a red folder, which she takes and opens immediately. As she scans its contents, Huck and Marcus approach them. "You see, something awful will happen to the three of you if you don't join me."
"So, you're going to what? Release everything we've done in B613's name if we don't join you in some smear campaign against Olivia? You realize that you'll, be just as exposed, right?" She closes the folder, tossing it in the trash.
"I'll be fine, but weren't you just expressing your dislike for Olivia? It'll be a piece of cake for you."
X
Ryan makes his way from his bedroom to his living room, preparing to face the woman behind Olivia's sudden crucifixion. He's dressed in a maroon Alexander McQueen organic cotton coat, dark blue Balenciaga bi-color denim skinny jeans, and maroon Givenchy suede Chelsea boots.
Although he's more than aware of the person she is, he's also aware that people like her always have another trick up their sleeve. Grabbing his phone and keys from the end table and his dark blue Prada robot-appliqué saffiano-leather pouch from the chair, he makes his way out of his apartment only to be met by Eli standing by the elevators.
He closes the door behind him with a chuckle and locks it, tucking his keys into his pouch and his phone in his back pocket as he turns to face Eli.
"You and your son have weird, stalker tendencies. It's not a good look."
Eli chuckles. "I didn't come here to play with you. I came here to warn you."
"Warn me?" He folds his arms across his chest. "About what?"
"Your day of reckoning is coming soon, and you should be terrified."
"I see you haven't learned anything since we last spoke." He walks to the elevator and pushes the button to call it to his floor. "Seek help, Eli."
"Do you think Olivia is some changed woman?" His question attracts an indifferent expression from Ryan. "She is not. And if you help her and give her the ladder to pull her out of the rabbit hole, she will ruin yourself, but she'll also ruin you. Don't you-?"
Ryan holds up a hand to stop him. "Sir, I gave Olivia the ladder to climb out of the rabbit hole herself, which is why she wants nothing to do with you. This attempt is pathetic for you. You came here on zero grounds because you're afraid."
"I am not a-"
"You are, and it's okay to be. The woman you raised isn't the woman you wanted. You expected her to come crawling back to daddy because the public is saying unpleasant things about her when you should've been expecting your blessings to end."
The elevator dings, and the doors open. A few people walk off before Ryan walks on, pressing the button to the lobby.
"Is that a threat?" Eli wonders, moving to the doorway of the elevator.
"Oh no, I don't make threats. I make promises." He smiles. "You gave Mellie some very destructive information defaming my sister, and now, this castle you have surrounded yourself in will be crumbling down, and you'll only have yourself to blame."
The elevator doors close, leaving Eli to his thoughts. The war he's been dreading is here.
X
She gazes solemnly out of her living room window at the cityscape, arms folded, the sun setting bringing a moment of peace to her mood. Stress is an understatement of what she's been feeling. With the walls closing in on her as those against her attempt to decipher what she's going to do next, she's at a standstill, which isn't necessarily bad.
It's where she needs to be.
Years of being her father's puppet, Jake's master, and Mellie's scapegoat, she's learned quite a few tricks to add to her arsenal. One of them is keeping her moves a secret. She has everyone on edge with her most recent press conference. With that still causing a stir in the media, she's well on getting her well-deserved checkmate.
Even her father's confused, failing at confronting Ryan with some bullshit story about rabbit holes and ruining everyone, including herself. Eli's words make no sense because Olivia's been working to rediscover who she is since Ryan informed her of what's real, alleviating her of her rose-colored glasses.
In a way, she's already won.
Her lips curve into a smile as she thinks about a life without toxicity, starting with Jake. She knows how wrong it was to sleep with him, to give up that part of her only meant for the love of her life, and she regrets every second spent with that man her father planted in her life. It sickens her to know that even the closest people can want her at her lowest. And to pass him off as her brother is despicable.
A knock on her door attracts her attention. She doesn't budge, however.
"Who is it?"
"It's Huck."
She makes her way to the door with furrowed brows, unlocks it, and opens it.
"What are you doing here?"
"Jake wants us to help him in destroying who you are." He wastes no time with the truth. "He came to QPA today and said that he'll release all the bad things we've done if we don't do it."
She swallows hard. "And?"
"And we didn't do it. You did bad things, but you don't deserve to lose who you are."
His words wash over her. Like Ryan, Huck has always seen her for who she is and wants to be.
"Come in." She moves out of the doorway, allowing him to walk inside, closing the door behind him. "Thank you. For not siding with him."
"I never liked him. He was always an ass."
"If only I could've seen it sooner." She chuckles, moving to sit in a chair, crossing her legs.
"You saw it out. That's all that matters." He smiles. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm good." She assures. "I've made peace with what I've done."
"And you're okay with how the media speaks about you?" He inquires, tucking his hands in his pockets.
"I am. I deserve it to some extent. It's somewhat of a wake-up call, but not really." She chuckles. "It shows that there will always be consequences that I am ready to face no matter the action."
He smiles. "You used your monster for good."
"I did." She nods, a small smile manifesting. "I did."
"So, what are you going to do about Jake? Do you need my help?"
"No." She smiles, emitting a sigh. "I've done enough to you. I can't put you through that again. Not anymore."
Although he offered, he's relieved she didn't take the bait.
"So, what are you going to do?"
With her gaze shifting reflectively to the window, she smiles.
"I asked the Ghost of D.C."
X
Her heels tap quickly over the porcelain floors, walking with haste and dedication as she gets wind of Eli being in her office, thanks to her assistant Jonah notifying her. She's bewildered, to say the least, not expecting the man who helped her dismantle Olivia to show up again, but here he is—
Or so she thinks.
Upon reaching Jonah's desk, she sees he's not there but doesn't question it, rushing into her office only to be taken by surprise.
"Hello, Senator Grant," Ryan smiles, dragging a finger along Mellie's desk before facing her. "Jonah said I could wait in your office."
"And who the hell are you?" She slams her door close. "Do I have to call security?"
"That would be pointless." He chuckles. "Who I am, is someone that you've made very angry. You're doing all you can to claim the Oval Office as your own when you should be worried about your political career abruptly ending."
"Is this some kind of joke?" She steps closer to him, gaze wandering over him. "You waltz in here with your fancy clothes on, spewing some unrealistic nonsense when you know nothing about me."
"I know that you released that information about Olivia Pope courtesy of her father, Eli Pope, who is the murderer of your son Jerry. Or did you forget?" He tilts his head slightly to the right, his response catching her off guard.
"H - how did you?" She stammers, taking a step back. "Who the hell are you?"
"The woman you're trying desperately to ruin is my sister." He makes it clear, watching the shock manifest on her features. "And when you mess with my family, I mess with you." He smiles, stepping closer to her, putting his lips to her ear.
"So, believe me when I tell you that I am the worst enemy to have."
Her heart drops into her stomach, guilt coursing through her veins, and before she can utter a word, he's gone as quick as he came.
X
Walking off the elevator towards the conference room in QPA, Danny tries to wrap his mind around the call he received from Huck regarding Ryan. The specifics weren't given over the phone, knowing that anyone could be listening, but the tone of Huck's voice signified worry.
Opening the door, he makes his way inside, seeing Huck sitting at the table upon entry.
"Is Ryan okay?"
"He is," Huck answers, motioning a hand to the chair next to him.
Danny emits a sigh, moving to sit in the chair next to Huck.
"Are you sure? You sounded worried."
"I am." He glances over at him. "You should be too."
"Why?" His brows furrow. "What happened?"
"I think Ryan will kill Jake for Olivia, and I'm afraid that if he goes through with it, he won't be the same Ryan we know and love." He informs, his voice wavering. "I like him, Danny."
"I like him too, Huck." He places a hand on Huck's shoulder. "He's one of the most amazing people I've ever met."
"Then you can't let him do this." His brows furrow. "I've seen what killing people can turn you into, and I don't want that for him. I don't want him to end up like me."
"Hey, you're not so bad, okay?" He assures. "Everyone has done some fucked up shit due to circumstances, but what makes us evolve - what makes us better . . . is what we do afterward. Being here indicates that you've made the best out of your troubles, and whatever happens with Ryan, I'm sure he'll do the same."
Huck emits a sigh of relief, nodding. Danny's words give him a feeling of hope, reeling him back in and reminding him of who Ryan is and what he stands for. He's good.
"He's good."
Danny chuckles. "He is. He's very good at his job, very good at not succumbing to the darkness, very good at being a boyfriend, and best of all, he's very good at being a friend. And I don't think he would ever put himself in a position to jeopardize himself or anything he cares about in his life."
His words bring a smile to Huck's face. "Will you at least talk to him?"
"Of course, I will." He nods to confirm. "You just try your best not to worry."
X
He sits on the arm of the couch, legs crossed and a glass of his favorite Bordeaux in hand. Although the moonlight peeking through the curtains shines, darkness surrounds him. He takes a sip of the delicious red, his gaze shifting reflectively to nothing as he thinks about all possible contingencies regarding Olivia's request to kill Jake.
In no way, shape or form is this beneficial to Ryan since Jake has never been a recurring issue for him, but for Olivia, he knows how much this will mean to her. Her entire life, she's been trapped, and like her saving grace, he helped her loosen the chains so she could fight the good fight, but some battles are far too big to handle alone.
There's an urgent knock at the door, attracting his attention. Taking one more sip of the red liquid, he sets the glass down on the coffee table and makes his way to the door, looking through the peephole and seeing Danny on the other side. Not too many things affect him but judging by the knock and the look on Danny's face, he knows what this conversation will entail.
Emitting a sigh, he unlocks and opens the door.
"So, is it true?" Danny asks, walking into the apartment. "You're going to kill Jake for Olivia?"
Ryan closes the door, folding his arms across his chest as he turns to face Danny. He can see the worry written over Danny's face, which pains him, but he can't lie.
"It's true." He murmurs. "She knows I'll handle it."
"Why? There has to be another way."
"There isn't."
Danny scoffs. "Ryan . . ."
"If there was another way - some other person to see this through, don't you think I would've taken that road?"
"Yes, but that's not the point, Ryan." He doesn't waver as he makes his way over to the window.
"Well, what is the point?" He questions, walking towards Danny, whose back is facing him. "Because I'm trying to do the right thing and help my sister, but I'm starting to think that the reason you don't want me to do this is that you-"
"The point is that I love you!" He exclaims, spinning around to face Ryan, who stops dead in his tracks, mouth agape at the sudden admittance. "I love you, Ryan, and I can't stand the thought of you doing this because I might lose you." He walks over to him, his stare much softer.
"I know what this place does to people. It destroys them until they have nothing left, and I don't want to see that happen to you."
Oh, how the tables have turned. Ryan wants to say something, but he can't loosen the words from his throat. It was never about him going through with it. It was always about the person he'd be once he completed the task. He's good at this job, the best even, but that doesn't mean he can escape the irrefutable change that comes with taking a trip down the dark side.
Tears well in Ryan's eyes, and without another word, he cups Danny's face and kisses him. There's a longing for one another as the kiss burns slow, invigorating them both as he feels Danny's arms wrap tightly around him. Danny is home. A home that he will always come back to no matter how far he may roam.
"I love you, too." He murmurs against Danny's lips. "And you will never lose me." He opens his eyes to Danny's greys focusing on his. "I promise."
"Do what you have to do. Just know that I'll be here when you return, okay?"
"Okay. I-"
There's a knock at the door, attracting both their attention. Ryan chuckles, as does Ryan, the latter wiping away Ryan's forming tears with his thumbs.
"You should get that. Could be important."
Ryan nods, pressing a kiss upon Danny's lips before making his way to the door, emitting a soft sigh before opening it.
"Huck?" He's shocked, taken aback by his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"
"I didn't want you to be alone when you kill Jake."
X
He hums a catchy tune as he makes his way to his car, feeling accomplished. He had just finished meeting with a few agents at B613's HQ regarding the future of QPA and couldn't wait to return to Eli to deliver the news. With QPA declining to accept his offer, not wanting to add to the defamation of Olivia, he made sure to have a backup plan. And once the sun rises, the world would know everything about the firm.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, he grabs his keys and tosses them into the air before catching them. Upon reaching his car, he realizes that something is wrong. The doors are unlocked; if he remembers correctly, he locked them when he first arrived. Immediately grabbing his gun from its holster on his right hip, he scans the area, aiming his gun in every direction. He makes sure to cock it back.
It's empty, so he thinks. However, that doesn't stop him from walking around the parking complex to ensure no one is following him. He knows all too well how things operate in his line of work. When the coast seems clear, he makes his way back to his car but keeps his gun in hand just in case. An unfamiliar feeling looms over him as the silences become louder, sending terrifying chills down his spine.
Struggling with the keys as he approaches his car, he's surprised by a faint whistle echoing through the parking structure, prompting him to spin around in alarm, meeting a bullet to the shoulder. He drops the gun, groaning in displeasure and pain as he puts pressure on the wound, looking around to see nothing. He stumbles back against the car; however, another gunshot goes off, and this time, he's shot in his left leg, causing him to fall to the cold, wet ground.
He's incapacitated, but that doesn't stop him from sliding across the ground to grab his gun, leaving a trail of blood in his wake as he cautiously looks around, and that's when he sees him.
Walking from the shadows, dressed in all black with a gun in his hand, Ryan reveals himself, his unsympathetic gaze wandering over Jake as he approaches him. He can see the fear coursing through Jake. He can see him trying to make sense of his thoughts, wondering how he's in this predicament. This scenario tickles Ryan, kicking the gun aside before forcefully kicking Jake in his face, prompting blood to spill from his mouth.
"You've done a lot of questionable things, Jake." He presses a foot upon Jake's throat. "How does it feel? Knowing that you won't be making amends for your actions?"
"Fuck you, Ryan." He slurs, breath slowly leaving his lungs. "There's nothing you can-"
"Do to stop you from ruining QPA and Olivia?" He scoffs. "Your backup plan utilizing B613 has been expunged." He informs, manifesting shock in Jake's features.
"It's such a shame how you still underestimate me after being bested every time." Pressing his foot harder into Jake's neck.
Jake struggles to breathe, but Ryan doesn't let up. He's enjoying the man's suffering and wants to do nothing but ensure he gets the death he deserves.
"Shoot. Me."
"And ruin the wonderful surprise? I think not."
Coughing up blood, Jake tries to remove Ryan's foot to no avail, watching as he pulls a syringe from his coat pocket. Ryan kneels, keeping his foot on Jake's neck, smiling at the sight of him.
"Any last words, Ballard?" He raises a brow.
"Go . . . to hell."
Ryan hums, leaning in, putting his lips to Jake's ear.
"Olivia sends her regards."
Before he can process what Ryan said, Ryan stabs the needle into his neck, emptying the contents of the syringe into his bloodstream. Profuse coughing ensues, followed by screams of help as his body begins to heat up to incalculable levels.
"What did you do to me?!" He exclaims, watching as his skin deteriorates, followed by blood flowing from his orifices.
Ryan smiles. "You're going on an acid trip." He rises to his feet, watching as Jake begins to suffer violent involuntary contractions of the muscles, producing contortion of his body and limbs.
"Help me!"
"Goodbye, Jake." He turns around, making his way to the elevator as Jake's screams echo in the distance.
"Is it done?" Huck asks, attracting Ryan's attention as he steps from behind a support beam.
"Yes." He nods. "How long does it take you to dismember a body?"
Huck smiles, glancing over at an unidentifiable Jake.
"In his condition? Won't take long."
Ryan chuckles, tucking the gun and needle back into his coat.
"Let me know when you're finished."
Huck nods, watching as Ryan walks away. When he is out of sight, Huck makes his way to his car, popping the trunk and pulling out his red toolbox before making his way over to Jake.
One down. Two to go.