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Chapter One: Fly

Fly

Open up the part of you that wants to hide away

You can shine

Forget about the reasons why you can't in life

And start to try

Cause it's your time

Time to fly

- "Fly" Hilary Duff

"Cyrus, you know I just can't quit my job." Olivia Pope slammed the filing cabinet up against the wall of her office shut. "I mean look at this mess!" She motioned around the room at the papers and files scattered on every available surface, "I have four different cases going on right now. And this firm has a few dozen. I can't just take off to help on a presidential campaign now. Especially because we all know Grant will lose the primary anyways."

Cyrus Beene, one of the sharpest political minds in the country looked down at the small African American woman behind a desk that was much too big for her. He leaned over and splayed his hands on the files on her desk. "Liv, think about it, we could make history with Grant. He can be president."

Olivia Pope, one of the most prominent attorneys in the DC area, and one of the best at Anderson and Murphy, shook her head, "He's not going to beat Sally Langston. Not by a long shot. He's too liberal for the Republican Party. She's found God Cy, she's in everything else is forgiven." She straightened out a stack of papers, "Besides I'm not that into politics." She lied.

He rolled his eyes, "Every case you deal with has to do with politics. You're a fixer Liv. It's what you do best. Look just take a leave of absence, don't quit. You can come back once we win."

It was Olivia's turn to roll her eyes, "But you won't win Cyrus. Not even with you at the helm." He glared at her and she shrugged, "Sorry but it's true."

He slammed his fist against her desk, causing a few stray pages to flutter to the ground, "God damn it Liv, we can to win. I'm banking on this. I just need you on board."

She sighed and ran her hand through her hair before straightening out her white silk blouse, "I'll consider it." Cyrus stood up and clapped once, she held up her hands before he could speak, "But I have to run it by the partners. You and I both know they're not going to like this. And they're certainly not going to approve of it."

Cyrus waved her away, "If anyone can convince them it's you." He adjusted his red tie, "I need you on my team Liv. No one else can do it quite like you can."

She stood up and walked around her desk, "Flattery will get you nowhere Cyrus Beene, you know that." She pulled the older man who'd been her mentor during law school into a hug, "I'll call you alright?"

He waved as he walked to the oak door of her office, "I suppose that's the best I can ask for."

"Be grateful to get any response at all from me!" She called out as the door shut.

SCANDAL

"I'm telling you Fitz, this girl is the best. And I think I got her in our court." Cyrus stood at the tiny bar in the hotel room that was acting as their base in DC, "She'll take the job, I've known her a long time. I know when she's made up her mind." He poured a small amount of brandy in a glass and held it up.

Governor Fitzgerald Grant of California stood up, swiping away some of the wrinkles in his blue button down. He stood next to Cyrus, his chief of staff, and held his hand out for the glass of brandy, "If you say so Cy, but she's got to be willing to take on Langston, most Republicans won't do that."

"She's a Democrat, sir." Cyrus corrected him.

Fitz rolled his eyes, "Oh that's great. A Democrat running a Republican's campaign. There's a surefire win."

Cyrus waved off the comment, "Hey I'm basically a Democrat and I want you to win."

Governor Grant sat back down on the sofa in the room, "Fine, but don't you think I should interview her and make sure I like her?"

"If I like her you like her." Cyrus leaned back in the chair across from the sofa.

"So that's how my presidency would be if I won then?" Fitz leaned forward and Cyrus could see the teasing glint in his eyes.

"That's exactly how it will be. The handsome face wins the presidency and I run the operation." He rolled his eyes, "Look all I think is we may need to be a little creative and Liv is creative. Besides once you win the nomination the Democrats will be digging up all the dirt they can on you. Even fabricating lies and Liv is a pro at navigating those waters. She's the best."

Fitz rolled his eyes, "I thought you were the best."

Cyrus puffed his chest out, "Well of course I'm the best. I trained Olivia, that's why she's the best too."

SCANDAL

Olivia Pope took a deep breath and knocked on William Anderson, VI's door. She knew Niels Murphy, III was in his office and she figured she might as well get both partners at once.

"Come in." She opened the door and saw Niels standing at the bar cart with a tumbler of scotch in his hand and William sitting behind his desk swirling what was most likely vodka in a glass, "Olivia, would you like a drink?" Even thought William was born and raised in Washington DC, he went to boarding school in Georgia and college at Vanderbilt. He'd picked up a nice southern accent that helped him sway juries when he was a trial lawyer. Now the firm dealt only with politicians in need of a good attorney.

She shook her head and sat down in one of the empty chairs across from William Anderson's desk, "I need to speak with you both about an opportunity I have just received."

Niels chuckled, "You're not leaving us for Purcell and Flanagan are you. We know they're trying to poach you."

Olivia swatted the idea away with her hand, Purcell and Flanagan was the cheap version of Anderson and Murphy that dealt with politicians who were too young or green to get into real trouble. And not rich enough to afford it. "I'm talking about a presidential campaign."

William Anderson leaned forward, "Don't tell me you're going to run a Democrat's campaign."

She chuckled at the conservative nature of the men in front of her. Two of the most powerful and influential men in DC, "No sir. Governor Fitzgerald Grant."

Niels whistled, "Now there is a candidate. Too bad he doesn't stand a chance against Langston." He crossed his long legs, "What did they offer you?"

"Cyrus Beene is running Grant's campaign." Olivia leaned forward, "He's the best, between the two of us Grant could win the nomination and the presidency."

William hissed between his teeth, "So you'd need a leave of absence." Olivia nodded, "Would we even get you back if Grant won."

"Oh we know we wouldn't." Niels looked over at her, "No one turns down a job in the West Wing."

Olivia glanced out the window as she absently smoothed down her cream colored slacks, "I'm sorry, sir," she glanced at them each in turn, "but I think I have to take this offer."

"And what about your cases?" William stood up.

Niels waved him down, "Ludwick can take two of them, his load is light. Gabor can take one and Ard can take the fourth."

"You're alright with this?" William slammed the now empty tumbler on his desk.

Olivia continued to stare out the window, aware that she should not be here during this conversation, but she was stuck in the room at this point.

"It's a West Wing job. Just think, in eight years we could have an attorney who worked for the President. Consider it." Niels leaned back and closed his eyes. Olivia refrained from rolling her eyes, Of course, Niels saw the big picture, and the big bucks. It would just take a while to get there. It was all about the money signs.

William sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Fine. A leave of absence. Maybe quitting. Fine." He pushed his chair back and moved to the bar cart. He picked up a crystal bottle and poured more of the clear liquid in his glass. She took that as her cue to leave.

"Thank you both. Please consider this my two weeks notice." She smoothed out her top and walked out the door without another word.

Closing her own office door down the hallway she leaned against it. Pushing herself off, she cleared off the long conference room table in the back of the room. Sitting back down at her desk she typed out cover sheets for each of the four high profile cases she was working on. When they were printed she laid them out on the long table. She turned to face her desk and the surrounding cabinets, Time to organize all this mess.

SCANDAL

Cyrus tipped back the last of his brandy and flipped the channel in his hotel room. He glanced again at his cellphone. No missed calls. He turned to volume up as the voices of Fitzgerald Grant and his wife, Mellie, grew louder. Who even knows what they're fighting about now. He sighed and set the empty glass on his nightstand as he closed his eyes. He snapped them open as his phone began buzzing on the bed next to him.

He looked at the screen: Olivia Pope. Bless her. "This is Cyrus."

"Cyrus, it's Olivia." She paused and he waited for her to continue, "I'm in."

He pumped his fist in the air, "Thank you Olivia."

"Goodnight Cyrus." He put his phone down when he heard the dial tone. We may win this primary after all.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS