Downfall

Maybe You're the One Who Will Save Me

"Why are you scheduled for so many functions with Senator Brown?" Olivia questioned, swiveling from side to side in Fitz's desk chair and examining his monthly schedule. Her predecessor, while accomplished in his own ways, had left her a muddled mess to deal with.

"That was Mellie's suggestion. She wanted me to ally myself with the senator – he's been a public favorite for years."

"He was a public favorite. California voters have progressively gotten younger and Senator Brown is out of touch. He voted against equal pay and he cast a decisive vote against immigration reform. You have one of the largest Latino demographics in the country – voting against immigration reform, or siding with someone who has, is political suicide."

"What's your suggestion?" Fitz sighed, slumping into the plush chair in front of his desk as Olivia thrummed a pencil against the hard wood surface.

"Distance yourself as much as possible." She said it as if it were common sense – the only logical answer for their predicament.

"A suggestion that wouldn't cause unnecessary tension," He elaborated, crossing one knee over the other and leveling Olivia with his gaze.

"You don't need to worry about alienating Senator Brown – it would, to be honest, help more than hinder your campaign." She stopped when she noticed the look Fitz was throwing her way –he wasn't buying into what she had to say.

"Hear me out, Fitz. A very small percentage of your electorate support the senator. This is a mostly Democratic state. Adding tension to the race will bring attention to you as a candidate and bring support from Independents who see that you are willing to compromise – to work with other parties and not just your own."

Placing a hand over his face and leaning back in his chair, Fitz sighed loudly. He slowly dragged his hand down his face until his line of sight was free of obstruction – allowing him to give Olivia a conflicted look.

"I'm not deciding either way yet. This isn't a decision that should be made without giving it some thought."

"We'll continue tomorrow, then," Olivia concluded, slamming the thick binder shut in front of her.

"You're bossy," Fitz commented with a wide grin.

"It's not like you aren't used to it," Olivia observed.

"Wow," Fitz laughed, "That was a low blow."

Olivia shrugged, looking unapologetic for her comment. "When do I get to meet Cyrus? We are supposed to be working together."

"You will meet him later this week. I want to be there when you meet him, Olivia."

"I can handle myself."

"You don't know Cyrus like I do – or Mellie. Please." The look he shot her was enough to freeze Olivia's next retort on her lips, causing her to quickly backpedal.

"I'll wait."

"Have you met her?" Mellie asked, twirling a plate on the oaken dining table.

"Fitz won't let me anywhere near her," Cyrus responded, reaching for a glass.

"Is she joining us for lunch?"

"I doubt it. I also doubt that Fitz joins us either."

Mellie snapped her head to the side, glaring down at Cyrus and slamming the plate back onto the table, causing Cyrus to flinch at the sound of glass breaking.

"He promised he wouldn't miss lunch."

"He has had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with her every day since he hired her. What could have possibly gone through your head that would make you think he would break with that routine?"

"I'm going to talk to him."

Cyrus was quick to stand from his seat and grab Mellie's arm, twisting her around to look at him. He held tightly to her arm, squeezing hard to make sure she listened.

"Mellie, you know she is with him and if you go barging into his office now, you lose him forever. You're smarter than this!" Cyrus's shouting and tight grip had Mellie shrinking away...at first. It wasn't long before she worked up the nerve to be standing with a rigid back and steely composure.

"I'm his wife and if he thinks –"

"He won't be for much longer. If you think that you're going to go down there and run over him like you used to than you're a damn fool."

"I won't lose him to her." Cyrus snorted in laughter at Mellie's statement and threw her arm back to her side, looking at her in disgust.

"You choose now to finally play the part of a scorned wife? Why couldn't you have done this earlier – when it would have worked! I am done with this, Mellie. You can't let reason sink in long enough to see that any woman who has the power to work her way into Fitz's life within months is a force to be reckoned with.

She isn't going to lay down and let you win – you will have to work for it. I'm not going to sit here and let you ruin my chances of ever standing in the sun again. Enjoy your time on the fringe."

With that said, Cyrus stomped out of the room leaving Mellie staring after him – a dumbfounded stare gracing her face.

"What's so funny about that?" Fitz asked, catching himself laughing along with Olivia.

"It's so cliché," She responded, continuing with her laughter.

"I bet you were your class president too." Fitz winked, angling his body so he could look directly at Olivia who was sitting with her elbow against the back of the couch and her head resting in her hand.

"No." She quit laughing, a small smile gracing her face. "I didn't have many friends."

"Their loss," He grinned, moving his hand to her knee and patting it gently – wrinkling the grey fabric beneath his hand. The smile on Olivia's face faltered slightly as she stared down at his hand.

"Fitz?" She searched his face for an expression that would give him away, but he was a blank slate.

"Olivia?" He breathed in a husky whisper, inching his face closer to her.

This is wrong. He's married. He's...smart. But he's married. He's kind. He's my boss. He's...amazing.

Olivia's inner conscience continued to battle with itself in a comical manner as Fitz inched closer, hovering above her lips.

"This isn't proper," She managed to choke out as he slid across the couch to place his hands on her hips.

"Then let's be improper," He winked, finally allowing his lips to connect with hers in a rash, unexpected decision that he wasn't sure he wanted to blame on their several glasses of wine earlier that night.