A/N I have been down a Scandal Rabbit hole the last six months, thanks to Tiktok, and been rewatching the show on Disney Plus. Season 5 is where I gave up back when the show was on. I couldn't do the drawn-out break up get back together any more. And after reading pretty much every Olitz fic completed and not completed multiple times. I ran out of fics to read, so I took to writing my own this is my version of fixing it.
It has been but fun, though falling back into a fandom, I was obsessed with Olitz from the start I actually have three small drabbles on my profile from 2012 when I first started watching.
Divorce papers, those two words simple words were echoing through Olivia's mind divorce papers. Fitz had handed Mellie divorce papers. Olivia had to sit down as she continued to try and process the news, trying to make it make sense. She could tell by how Fitz looked at her that he had no regrets and wouldn't let her talk him out of it again.
And as she opened her mouth to argue if now really was the best time to be handing Mellie divorce papers.
She was halted by Fitz assuring her this was a good thing.
Olivia's mind was working a hundred miles an hour as it constantly was, processing the news. She tried to run all the scenarios on how this could play out. For her, for Fitz, for them.
Fitz was looking at her with love and determination. But she could see the vulnerability behind that. Even as he stood in front of her, ready to fight for her, fight for them. There was a small part of him that was expecting her to run and expecting her to take everyone's side, but his because that was what she had done countless times in the past.
That look of vulnerability had her agreeing with him that it was a good thing. Not the love, not the confidence, the vulnerability. That look broke Olivia's heart. Fitz was the only person who had ever loved her without a million expectations, and she had let him down repeatedly.
She needed to be brave, and she needed to fight for their relationship the way he was fighting for them. When she was with Fitz when she was in his arms or looking into his eyes. Olivia had the courage and the strength. It was when they were apart that her mind started to betray her.
No one batted an eye as Olivia made her way through the Whitehouse. Over Fitz's time in office, Olivia had been a staple of the halls of the Whitehouse. There had been weeks and even months upon months. Where she hadn't visited, where no one had seen her in those halls. But then there were all the times in between when Olivia was constantly in and out of the Whitehouse.
It allowed her not so much to blend in but to not stick out as unusual. Even if her destination wasn't the Oval Office. No one gave her so much as a second glance as she made her way to the balcony.
There was a part of Olivia who had wanted not to come here tonight, wanted to take the easy way out and go straight home. That part had almost won; it had taken everything in her not to run in the opposite direction. Olivia knew Fitz wasn't going to be in the best mood; his Naval Base plans had pretty much fallen to pieces. But she was trying to fight her instincts to run, so instead, she was here. Instead of running, she was heading towards. But fighting her instincts meant she was tense and on edge as she walked through the door.
She knew he would be in a lousy mood, and laying eyes on him confirmed as much. He had a bad work day; she had a good work day. But they needed to have boundaries; she required them to have boundaries. Their relationship required them to have boundaries.
There was an air of tension between them on the balcony. Not the good kind, not the sexual tension that had been between them since the day they met. But the wrong kind. The kind that led to them tearing into each other with their words.
As Olivia was getting ready to tell him why they weren't free to go public, what her thoughts were, and to reassure him that she wasn't backing down, not this time. They were interrupted by Abby.
Before Olivia could get a word out, Abby stood on the balcony, staring at them both with a look that had all of Olivia's defences up.
Olivia and Fitz stood together, watching the Liberty Report. Watching as photos that should never have seen the light of day became public. Watching as the choice was taken from them. Watching as everything Olivia had been about to say to Fitz became a moot point.
Every scenario, every possibility, every door to choose was running through Olivia's mind.
Endless possibility after possibility on how to spin this.
How can Fitz come out of this in the best light possible? Countless plans and backup plans and possible options were forming in the seconds that passed while she was also spiralling into a panic.
Until her mind went completely blank. The only thought in her mind was the awareness of Fitz's hands on her body, the feel of him turning her until they were chest to chest. The way one hand moved to her lower back, cradling her body protectively to him. While the other went to hold her face gently. The only thought that entered Olivia's mind as he kissed her was this was right; this was where she was meant to be. Being in his arms allowed her to breathe; it made her feel strong.
Fitz pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. "I need you to promise me two things before anything else happens." Fitz voiced gently.
"What?" Was her cautious response.
"First, promise me we are in this together completely. You won't run. Second, Promise me you won't sacrifice yourself for my career and reputation." Fitz was holding her gaze as he spoke. Olivia felt like he was looking directly at her soul.
He knew her well; he knew what she would try. It was what her default was; it was what her defence mechanism told her to do. He was asking her to be brave, to trust him, trust in them.
Olivia took a deep breath and relied on the strength he offered her as he held her to reply. "I promise."
Just saying that terrified her, but it was worth it for the smile that lit up his face and the relief in his eyes.
"We need to go downstairs. Liv, Abby, and Liz will be on their way to the oval as we speak. I want you to be there. Any statement we make will need to come from both of us." Fitz kissed her gently on the lips one more time before grabbing her by the hand and leading them downstairs. As soon as they entered the room, he was taking control of the situation, asking about the leak.
Abby and Liz were so focused on Fitz that neither even glanced at Olivia.
Olivia realised she could make her way back out the door and escape that she had the tiniest window to just disappear. But she had promised Fitz she would fight for them. Her mind brought up that vulnerable look in his eyes when he had told her he had handed Mellie divorce papers.
That was it. A light bulb moment. She was Olivia Fucking Pope. She had fixed and handled it to make so many other people's lives better. She could do that for herself, for them. She needed to pretend this wasn't about them, that this was happening to one of her clients, and she had to handle it.
Abby was saying that Fitz needed to put out a statement when Olivia spoke up.
"You tell the media the truth." All eyes turned to Olivia as she spoke.
"You want him to tell the truth, tell the press you are his mistress.' Liz spoke with scorn.
Olivia could see Fitzs was gearing up to defend her, but she beat him to it.
'I'm not his mistress; I'm his girlfriend." Saying those words out loud gave Olivia the strength to continue." Ask anyone in the residence. Mellie moved out months ago; Fitz and Mellie were keeping the situation quiet as they dealt with this situation as a family. They don't appreciate the media and whoever leaked those photos taking the choice away from them. They grew apart after Jerry's death. It was an amicable split, which was why Fitz only officially served Mellie the divorce papers after she was sworn in.
Neither of them wanted their relationship ending to get in the way of their efforts to serve the public. After all the time Mellie spent at Fitz's side supporting him, he wanted to make sure she had the moment she deserved. They had planned to announce the divorce in a few months after Mellie had time to prove herself. As the amazing Junior Senator, Fitz knows she will be.
This may look sudden to the public, but Fitz can assure them it isn't. Fitz can say Mellie is aware that Fitz has started dating again. She is happy for us, just as we are happy for her career."
Olivia was pacing as she spoke, not making eye contact with anyone As she worked the plan out in her mind. They would get ahead of anything Mellie could say; they would back her into a corner and with what Fitz had her. Mellie would have to play ball. Especially if Ftz got all those compliments in, Mellie would look like the bitch if she attacked them in the media.
As she finished speaking, she stopped pacing and looked up to meet Fitz's eyes.
The look he gave her was full of pride, love and happiness. Olivia couldn't help the small smile from spreading on her face to match his. This was going to work. They were going to get to go public, finally.
So caught up with Fitz, Olivia didn't see the looks Abby and Liv were sending her, and neither shared the confidence that was on Olivia and Fitz's faces. But not seeing those looks, Olivia was confident their plan would work.
Fitz dismissed Liz to contact Rosen and deal with the leak, then dismissed Abby to tell the press they would have their statement directly from the President in 30 minutes.
Once they had left, Fitz came around his desk to join Olivia at the couches.
"I assume you are writing my speech for me." Fitz teased as he pulled her towards him.
"Well, we both know I'm the better writer, and I better get to it. Someone decided they were making their speech in 30 minutes." Olivia was reaching past Fitz to grab the iPad she could see on the coffee table as she spoke; she was already in speech-writing mode.
"Someone smart once told me the longer it takes to reply to the media, the more it can seem false and rehearsed. The quicker a statement is given, the more likely the public is to believe it. I need to call Karen first, though. I told her about the divorce papers, and she knows about us. But I would rather her have a heads up from me than via the media." Fitz went over to his desk to make his call, as Olivia was fully immersed herself in typing his speech.
Fifteen minutes later, Olivia had finished the speech and was happy with it. It stuck to the broad truth; it made Fitz, Olivia and Mellie all come out looking well. It made the media look like the bad guys for forcing them public without explicitly calling them out. It painted a picture of a couple who were amicably splitting, A pair who had wanted to protect their children from the media after losing their brother. A pair who even separated were still united in their love of serving the American people. That was the focus; Olivia and Fitz dating was just a sentence right at the end.
Olivia was happy with it and proud of her work. Olivia left Fitz to wrap up his conversation with Karen and read it over as she went to the residence to get a different tie for him. Olivia returned with just enough time to change Fitz's tie before he left her to head to make his statement. He wanted Olvia to come with him; he wanted her by his side.
But that would get in the way of the story they were trying to spin. She promised him she would be waiting in the residence for him, where she would be watching his speech.
With a glass of Wine in hand, Olivia watched as Fitz brought life to the words she had written. The media was silent as they listened to him announce that, for the first time, a sitting President was divorcing his First Lady.
It was clear it had taken the media by shock. Most would have been expecting a denial of the affair rumours. Or a confirmation and apology. The surprise gave them the upper hand; no one would have anything prepared in reaction to Fitz's speech.
Fitz, as they decided, refused to answer questions and was back with her before most of the talking heads had really had time to process the bombshell that was dropped on them.
"I'm free, I'm finally free." Was the joyful exclamation Fitz made as he joined her in the room, striding right over to her and lifting her into his arms, kissing her with pure happiness and relief. His joy was infectious, and Olivia joined him in it.
It wasn't long until the kiss deepened by them, and they started to lose articles of clothes as they made their way to his bedroom.
As a result, Olivia's phone was left in the room, to be heard by neither of them as soon it was lit up by calls from both Mellie and Cyrus, as well as others.