Chapter 13: Big Brother

Karen stares out the window as the SUV whisks her back to the all-girl private school her parents dumped her in during her father's first Presidential campaign. She replays the argument between her parents over and over again in her mind.

"Mellie, enough. You will not disrespect Olivia and my child that way. I spoke to Karen. She knows why I am doing this and she also knows that I will always love her and be there for her. I will speak with Jerry too when he gets back from his trip to Spain."

"Always coming to her defense. God, what does she have between those magical thighs that keeps you tied to her? You went ten months without even uttering her name and now suddenly you can't live without her? You are willing to give up the highest office in the land to what, be a stay at home dad to your mulatto baby? Where was this overwhelming care and concern when we had Karen and Jerry?"

"That was different and you know it," he responds gruffly. He turns his back to Mellie, unable to stomach looking at her face.

"How was it different? Hmmm honey, how was it different?" she asks.

"Because Karen and Jerry were not conceived out of love. You and Big Gerry decided when the proper time to have children was, I just went along with it to shut the two of you up. If it were up to me, I would have never had any children with you."

She needs someone to talk to. She scrolls through her phone until she gets to Jerry's name. She knows that he is probably sound asleep, as there is a six hour time difference between DC and Barcelona, but she needs her big brother. She presses the call button. The phone rings two times, three times and on the fourth ring he finally picks up.

"Karen, do you know what time it is here?" Jerry says with a yawn.

"I'm sorry Jerry, I just needed . . . " she begins to sob into the phone.

Jerry sits up in bed and turns on the light. He is wide awake now.

"Karen, what happened? Are Mom and Dad okay?" fear creeps into his voice. He quickly grabs the remote off of the night stand and clicks on the television. He finds the international news station and is immediately relieved to see no news reports about his parents.

"Karen, come on stop crying. Tell me what's wrong please," he begs.

She takes a couple of deep breaths to calm down before speaking.

"Well let's see, Dad is having an affair with Olivia Pope, who is pregnant by the way. He plans on divorcing Mom and I found out that you and I were not conceived out of love. We were just a means of political gain for them," she begins to sob again.

Jerry is quiet for a moment and then he begins to chuckle softly.

"Are you laughing?" she asks angrily. "Do you think this is funny?"

"No it's not funny Karen. It's sad really. I hoped you would remain oblivious to those things for a little while longer. But it looks like you have finally had the blinders ripped from your eyes."

"Wait, you knew all of this stuff and didn't tell me?" she asks incredulously.

"I have known about Dad and Olivia for a while now. I saw them kissing once when we were out on the campaign. They didn't see me, but I definitely got an eyeful. After that, I couldn't help but notice how they were together. Dad seemed happier and relaxed when she was around. The baby is news to me though and so is him wanting to divorce Mom."

"And us? You knew about us?"

"Karen, look you are fourteen now. You have to start seeing the world as it really is, especially in political families like ours. Everything is done for a reason. We just happened to be what was needed at the time."

"And you accept this?"

"What choice do we have Karen? We can't turn back time and make our parents love each other and become the product of their love. That's just impossible."

"Did they ever love each other?" she questions sadly.

"I don't know. Maybe. But think about it, have they ever seemed really happy together? It's time to stop being a little kid Karen and grow up. Our parents don't love each other. We are not the outcome of some fairy tale romance between them. If they get divorced and Dad is ready to move on, we have to accept that."

"You make it sound so easy. It's not easy. This is our family that is royally fucked up!" she shouts.

"Hey, don't let me ever hear you say that word again!" he scolds. "Look around you Karen. How many of your friends and classmates have parents who are divorced? It isn't the end of the world. You and I will adjust to the new regime and move on. We will always have each other though, no one will ever change that."

"Funny, Dad said the same thing," she says.

"Wait, you talked to Dad about this already? How did you find out about all of this stuff anyway? Did someone say something to you at school?"

"No, Mom called me yesterday and told me she needed me to come home today. When I got home this morning, I walked in on her talking to Aunt Carol on the phone about Dad and Olivia. Then Dad came home and we talked for a bit and I felt better, but then later I heard him and Mom arguing and that's when I found out about you and me."

"Where are you now?" he questions.

"On my way back to school. I couldn't stand to be there with them one more minute."

"When I get back from Barcelona we will get together and talk some more. Right now, just go back to school. It's the best place for you right now."

"When did you get to be so smart Big Brother?"

"I have always been smart, you were just too young to realize it Little Sister."

"Ha ha. Seriously, thanks Jerry."

"No problem Karen. Now let me get some sleep. I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." He ends the call and sits there for a while crying for his sister's shatter innocence.

"That bitch," he hisses. He knows that his Mom set the whole thing up. He silently vows to make her pay for it.

Karen leans back against the headrest. She feels a little better after speaking to Jerry, but she is still heartbroken to know that her family was a fraud.

A/N: Your reactions to Mellie's evil ways were priceless and your sympathy for Karen was overwhelming.

I know this was a short chapter, but the interaction with Karen and Jerry just needed to be written and it only felt right as a stand-alone chapter.

So as always comment/suggest/rant as much as you want. It makes me happy!

I don't own Scandal, but if I did it would be all Olitz all the time!