"Remind me why I can't wear a pantsuit to my own wedding? I'm too old for this."

Having a wedding prep day, Olivia convinced Verna to head to the bridal shop to try on dresses. Now that the date and venue were set, Liv could focus on the dresses with Verna.

"Because it's your wedding. You should wear a dress for this occasion. It's also a tradition. Besides, Jerry loves seeing you all dressed up."

"He loves seeing me naked too," Verna laughed.

"TOO MUCH INFORMATION!" Closing the door to the fitting room to try on the next one, Liv searched through the rack of dresses beside her. "You just have to wear a dress, Verna."

Putting on the simplest dress they had, Verna stepped out to show it off. "This one isn't bad, I suppose."

"You are the bride, not the guest. You need something to show off and stand out from them."

Taking Liv's hands, Verna turned Liv's head to look at her. "You can't live vicariously through others, Olivia."

"I'm not. Stop trying to analyze me. I know this is your wedding and this is all about you and Jerry. I'm not stupid."

"No one said you were. All these dresses you've chosen are the ones that you would wear. It's your style. And I love your style, but I can't pull it off. I'm not in my twenties anymore. I'd be fine with going to the courthouse and getting married, but he wants to have a party. Jerry wants to show the happy ending."

"So, does that mean we aren't buying a dress today?"

"Actually, we are. This one. It's very comfortable and with some jewelry and the rock, it'll be fantastic."

While Olivia and Verna were off dress shopping, Jerry and Cyrus decided to take the opportunity to corner Fitz again in his office. Hearing voices coming from Liv's office, Fitz looked up to see them come in and rubbed his forehead.

"What could you two want?"

"Same as always, Fitz. But we did come for more than that," Cyrus told him as he took the seat across from his desk. "We all agree that you should run for President. Even your mother thinks you should."

"He's right. Lily thinks you would be wonderful. You have all the qualities a commander in chief needs. We have a PAC ready to endorse you the second you say yes. I would just make the call and they'll get started right then."

Hearing what they had done, Fitz broke the pencil in his hand in half and threw it across the room. "You formed a PAC without asking if I would even consider running? You don't control me. I will decide if and when I run for any office. And since I will not be doing anything of that nature, you wasted all your time and their money to do this. Why won't either of you listen to me? Just because neither of you had what it takes to become President or Senator, does not mean that you get to push me into doing it. I'm a fifty-year-old man, soon to be divorced from his alcoholic wife, and dating a twenty-five-year-old mentally and emotionally unstable woman who can't sleep alone and you want me to go campaign all over the country. Enlighten me on how that is supposed to work. How do you propose anyone in this country would want me to lead them into the depths of hell?"

"Bringing Olivia into this won't make a difference. She is mature beyond her years. She can handle anything that anyone throws at her. And calling her unstable in any category is heartless!" Cyrus yelled at him.

"Okay, okay, both of you back to your corners," Jerry told them attempting to calm both of them down. "No one said running for office would be easy. No one even said you would do it this year."

"No one said I was doing it to begin with!"

Leaning back in the seat, Jerry watched Fitz for a moment. Seeing him calm a little, he shook his head. "Other than the Mellie and Livia things, why wouldn't you want to do it? Because it was my idea? Because you don't think you can handle the criticism? Give me one good reason why you can't."

"Dad, really? Come on!"

"I'm serious."

"It's just not something I saw myself in. That position is meant for men who can make the hardest decisions. The President has the lives of so many people in his hands. The power of that office is immense."

"Exactly," Cyrus jumped in. "Think of all the good you can do. You've always wanted to do the best for everyone. The Oval Office is the only way you are going to effect change where it's needed."

"There's still some time for you to decide before announcements need to be made. Give it some real thought, Fitz. You never know what good you can do from there if you don't at least try." Jerry watched Fitz nod his understanding and got up to close the office door. "Good, now we need to discuss Livia."

Raising a brow at him, Fitz sat back in the chair and looked at the two of them. "What's wrong with Liv?"

"Nothing. What did you do with the text from Edison?" Cyrus asked.

"As we agreed. I took the screenshot of the text and sent it to Dad and then deleted the picture and the text. I blocked the number from her phone as well and emptied it out of her trash."

"Then she doesn't know that he sent her a message?"

"The last thing I want is for Olivia to be more upset than she was. Telling her the monster that killed Stephen sent her a text would only set her back. She's been doing fine since the date. She spent one day being a complete mess and the next it was like nothing ever happened. Liv is really good at compartmentalizing everything in her life," Fitz smiled thinking of her.

"She's always been good at it."

"Any news on the divorce front?" Jerry asked to change the subject.

Fitz rolled his eyes at him and shook his head. "Richards is being unreasonable. He told Mellie she needed to come up with a plan of how she would financially take care of herself. We are going back to court at the end of the month. Hopefully by then I'll have more evidence of her off shore bank accounts."

"You should ask Liv to do that," Cyrus told him. "She is able to find any piece of dirt that drunk can hide."

"I don't want Olivia to be in any part of my divorce. She and I have already discussed that and agreed that she won't but in."

"She's your assistant; that's what she's here for."

"She's my girlfriend, Cyrus. And having her be part of this divorce is only going to send Mellie over the edge and demand more from me. This is my problem. Liv has enough on her plate as it is."

"But Richards responds to her," Jerry added. "If you would let her step in, Livia could have you divorced before the end of the month! She hates him with a passion but for you she would do it."

"Why does she hate him?" Cyrus questioned Jerry. "I thought she loved working for him."

"You'll have to ask her. That's her story to tell."

"I better head out. My flight leaves in a couple hours. Wonderful to see you both; until next time," Cyrus waved and headed out the door.

After spending the day with Verna shopping and preparing wedding arrangements, Liv was finally able to return home and relax for a bit. Reading through her mail that had not been opened in weeks, Liv found a letter from the courts addressed to her. Holding it in one hand, she tried to think of what it would be about.

I haven't driven in a while so it's not a speeding ticket or a traffic violation. This better not be Mellie trying something for the divorce. I can't have any part of it, I told Fitz I wouldn't. Well, I guess I should open it.

Opening the letter, Liv read over it again and again. Gathering her thoughts for a moment, she read the letter again and grew more furious. Putting the letter on the coffee table, she ran her fingers through her hair attempting to calm herself. There's no fucking way in hell anyone would let that happen. No chance. But they might consider it. They will make me do this again! Unable to hold her rage in, Olivia stood in the living room and flipped the glass table over shattering the top. Going through the apartment back to the kitchen, Liv threw anything that was in her way to the side. Flipping over the counter top chairs, picture frames off the side table, the vases that sat on the hallway ledge full of flowers, the wine glass sitting on the counter.

Getting home for the night, Fitz came home with dinner for them. He had been trying to text her for the past hour but received no response. Coming in the door to find the shattered glass on the floor, he set the food down and looked around.

"Liv? You home?" he called out to her. Hearing something being slammed to the ground, Fitz rushed around the corner to find what it was. Olivia stood in the dining room and grabbed the bottle of wine off the liquor table ready to throw it against the wall as she had with what looked to be at least two others. "Woah! Olivia!" Fitz yelled to get her attention as she threw the bottle against the opposite wall. Seeing her go for another one, Fitz ran up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, keeping her hands down as he could. "That's enough, Liv."

"Get off of me!" Liv screamed at him, attempting to wiggle free out of his grasp.

"Relax, relax Livie. It's just me, what happened?" Keeping her tight in his arms, Fitz leaned over her shoulder and kissed her temple. Feeling her heart racing and her breathing heavy and staggered, he kept his hold on her. "Breathe, sweet baby. Match me," Fitz told her calmly.

Closing her eyes, Olivia could feel Fitz's chest against her back and worked to match him. Reaching up she held his wrists like they were saving her from drowning.

"Talk to me, Livie."

"They could let him out."

"Who?"

"Edison. They might let him out."

"No one is letting him out, Liv. He's never going to get out. Why would you think that?"

Loosening his grip on her, Liv stepped out of his embrace and went to get the letter. "This came sometime. I didn't get it until today when I got the mail," she said, handing him the letter.

Dear Ms. Olivia C. Pope,

This letter serves as notice to you that a sentencing appeal hearing has been scheduled for Edison T. Davis on February 25th, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. This court requests your presence at said hearing for testimony. Please arrive no later than 1:30 p.m. for check in with the court clerk.

Sincerely,

Judge H. Sparks

Fitz reread the letter a few times before looking back to Olivia. "It's a formality, Livie. He can appeal his sentence but that doesn't mean that anyone is going to let him out. Everyone can appeal but there's no guarantee that he is going to get out."

"There's no guarantee that he's going to be kept in either."

"No sane person would review that case and let him back on the streets. It just won't happen."

"Can you guarantee that? Can you make sure he doesn't ever see light outside of a prison cell? Because I know I can't! And I know Jerry can't! How can you do it?"

Taking her hands in his, Fitz kissed the back of both hands. "I promise you that he won't. No judge would ever let him out of a cell or cuffs. Please don't worry about this. He will never be able to get to you again; I promise."

Stepping to him, Liv hugged him tight as she could. "I love you."