Executive Orders

CH 25 | Expectations

The feel-good wave of accomplishment that came to Fitz during the end of his conversation with Colleen Cassidy turned out to be strong enough to carry him through the phone conference call with General Ramos.

For that call, he needed to be downstairs in the Situation Room complex. He was reaching for his jacket when Lauren knocked on the door, announcing Cyrus' presence.

"Is it safe to come in, Mr. President?" Cyrus said.

"It is." Fitz grinned at him. "I won the bet."

"The bet?" Cyrus lifted a questioning eyebrow.

"Olivia and I bet on who would be the first to come knocking at the Oval Office door tonight. She thought it would be Tillman's lackey - and for once, the great Olivia Pope was wrong."

"Garner didn't make a play?" Cyrus said. "I didn't give the man that much credit. He's a man used to getting his way."

Fitz didn't answer but felt the rush of anger blow through him at just the mention of the other man's name. He knew Cyrus didn't care for Garner any more than he did - but he hadn't seen the way he looked at Olivia either. That his dislike went a little bit more to the personal side than the political Fitz didn't give a damn. All he knew was that the man had better not give him the slightest reason to slap him down.

He didn't care if the reason why was personal or political either.

Cyrus mistook the reason for the sudden predatory gleam in Fitz's eyes.

"Garner didn't make a play." Fitz shrugged away his thoughts about Garner and let some his recent good humor rise again. "And I wagered on Sally."

"And just what did our claimant to the holier-than-thou throne of the republican party have to say when she appeared?" Cyrus could barely rein in his sarcasm.

One look at the other man told Fitz that Cyrus was both frustrated and amused - mirroring his own reaction.

Fitz had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Sally was his vice president, after all - he did owe her a certain amount of respect in at least listening to what she had to say. Even if her opinion was sometimes a little too holier-than-thou ridiculous.

He did try. He also made the mistake of meeting Cyrus' eyes. Cyrus began to chuckle and that was more than enough invitation for Fitz to join in and a moment later they're both laughing.

"Just what you'd expect - and just what I'd expected - she believes she has the right to guide my life according to her moral standards."

"That was no great revelation." Cyrus nodded, agreeing with him. "The nerve of that hypocrite. "I suppose that you have no intentions of following any of it?"

"Which I have no intentions of following any of it - ever." Fitz said, the humor dropping from his voice.

"Of course, Mr. President. The only person to set policy in any way shape or form in this administration is you." Always sensing Fitz's mood, Cyrus wisely changed the subject to one that he hoped would be more pleasing to Fitz. "I assume that everything went well with Ms. Cassidy?"

"That conversation went very well, Cy." Fitz was just as happy to change the subject as Cyrus was and the memory of their conversation was much more pleasing to discuss. "I think that we can count on her full support both short and long term."

Fitz glanced at his watch; noting that it was almost time for his last duty of the night.

"That, Mr. President, is music to my ears." Cyrus said as Fitz straightened his tie and buttoned his jacket as they headed for the door. Together they headed down to one of the lesser rooms of the Situation complex where a private communications set-up was waiting for Fitz's use, continuing the details of his conversation with Colleen Cassidy as they went, Cyrus approving them as they went.