"First Lady Millicent Grant is finishing up nursery preparation and…"

"With the First Lady expecting in just a couple short weeks, the President…"

"An elated but nervous President Grant took the time to express his excitement with The Today Show via Skype and…"

Olivia Pope swiftly turned off the television and a mocking silence swallowed her living room whole. It had been exactly three long, grueling months and sixteen days since President Fitzgerald Grant III was shot entering his 50th birthday gala, and The White House was still breathing a deep sigh of relief at the President's quick recovery. And it had been exactly three months and twelve days since Olivia had last seen the President. In her apartment living room, Olivia looked down at her coffee table where there sat a bowl of popcorn and a glass of red wine, clearly poured in vain, as she was too distracted to keep anything down. Her mind was spinning, and her heart, heavy with loneliness, had sunk to the very pit of her stomach. The past three months were nothing short of chaos and distress, and with a levelheaded and courageous attitude that even surprised herself at times, Olivia had stepped up to the plate – or to the podium in some instances – and she had taken charge. She had given and arranged press interviews, delegated to White House staff, stood by her trusted and utmost loyal friend and associate to clear his name as murder suspect, all while knowing that the President of the United States – the undeniable and unavailable love of her life – was lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life. And now, she was curled up against the arm of her couch, listening to the news of "America's Baby" just like the rest of the country. The First Lady's smile was etched across Olivia's brain, and renewed sadness gripped her as she remembered the conversation between the two of them, some three months ago…

x X x

Olivia took a deep and stabilizing breath as she sat in the hospital waiting room wing closed off for the President, waiting for Cyrus to arrive. Her mind was reeling, and Olivia knew that if she had taken a moment, even just one minute, to realize that she could lose the person who stirred in her a love so powerful it was almost deafening, she would break down – and Olivia Pope did not break down. As much as she tried to keep them at bay, fond and heartbreaking memories of the two of them swarmed Olivia's mind. The two holding each other on the couch, their declaration of their all-consuming and unwavering love for each other in the Rose Garden, the cruel happiness at the end of every late-night phone call, his hands sliding up her ribcage and into her hair…. Stinging tears leapt to Olivia's eyes and she blinked them back ferociously, unwilling to let the fragile threads that held her together fall victim to this omnipresent tension. The vibrating rings of her cell phone snapped her back to the present: "EDISON". I'll talk to you later, Olivia thought as she turned her phone over in her lap.

"Olivia Pope, I'm glad you came," said a sudden female voice to her right.

Olivia turned her head to see Mellie, standing some feet away from her with red, wet eyes.

"Mellie, I didn't know you were here. I should have expected... I got a call from Tom telling me Cyrus would meet me here." Olivia said faintly.

Mellie smiled a thin smile that did not reach her eyes, and sat down next to Olivia.

"Cyrus won't be coming Olivia. It was me who told Tom to request you here."

Olivia straightened and swallowed; she should have known. Even in the midst of all this chaos and crying, she should have known that Cyrus would have just called her directly. She squared her shoulders and looked at Mellie directly, "Oh?"

Mellie nodded. "Yes. You see Olivia, with Sally now having assumed the position as acting President, and with all damage already done; I don't see any reason for you to be around. I think you should go and relieve yourself of your duties for the White House – for the second time. I mean, with your company and your reputation, I hardly doubt this will be any kind of blow to you, am I correct? And let me assure you that while I understand that as First Lady I have no official position here, and so I can neither hire nor fire you, you and I both know what has been happening here with you and my husband…."

She paused and watched Olivia for a moment, who showed no sign of a reaction.

"We both know what has been happening here, and we both know how much I know, and that what I know and how I could spin it, could destroy you and only you. And so again, we both know how crucial it is for you to grant me this request."

"I understand." Olivia said swiftly. A hot anger was burning inside of her, but she knew Mellie too well to not acquiesce.

Mellie smiled her thin smile again. "And Olivia, I am revoking your visiting privileges for my husband."

It was as if every breath in Olivia had been vacuumed out of her in an instant. Her heart dropped, and she reached out to grab the arm of her chair as a sudden light-headedness took over her. "What?"

"You have done enough here Olivia, and my husband and I thank you endlessly for what you have done for his presidency. But while he is here, I will not permit you to see him. I am his wife, and you are not, and that is enough of a reason. I'm leaving for the White House, and I have already authorized you to visit him one last time today, and that will be the end. Goodbye Olivia, I hope to see you again sometime not too soon."

And with that, Mellie walked away without a look back.

Olivia's phone began to vibrate again – "EDISON". Hardly stifling a heartbroken moan, Olivia drew her knees up to her chin and her entire body shook as she sobbed, finally letting the tears roll down her face.

x X x

Three swift knocks at her door broke Olivia out of her memory. She sprung up from the couch and strode towards the door where a serious-looking Cyrus stood in the doorway, accompanied by Hal.

"Cyrus?" Olivia remarked, surprised.

Cyrus stepped into her apartment and closed the door behind him. He smiled his slightly mischievous smile and without warning, pulled Olivia into a familiar, warm hug. She hugged him back and smiled into the lapel of his jacket. He smelled like all business and peppermint; he smelled like Cyrus. She hadn't seen her friend in two weeks, since the day President Grant was released from the hospital and he had come to inform her before the news broke to the media.

"Liv," Cyrus said fondly. He held Olivia at arm's length and raised an eyebrow, "Have you lost weight? You look like you've lost weight."

"I look exactly the same as I did two weeks ago, Cy."

The two of them sat on Olivia's couch, and she poured him a glass of wine.

"How is Albert?" She asked him.

"He is just about the cutest thing you've ever seen. James bought this new mobile for him that he just watches and watches until he falls asleep. He'll be two months in two days and the pediatrician told us we can take him with the unwashed public, but James wants to wait another month. I mean, you know James…." Cyrus trailed off and stretched his arms behind his head.

Olivia let out a laugh and stretched out her feet, letting them dangle over the arm of the chair while her legs lay across Cyrus's lap. Cyrus and James had adopted one-month-old Albert a week ago and every time she texted Cyrus, he was all Cyrus could talk about.

"You need to send me more pictures, or I'll come visit when James lets me."

"When? You mean if." Cyrus quipped. "How are the good people at Pope & Associates?"

"They're still good," she responded. "People are still doing things they shouldn't be doing, and so we're still here."

Olivia smiled and closed her eyes. Talking with Cyrus made things feel as though they were back to normal. Cyrus, as frustrated and as angry as he had been when he felt Olivia had posed a threat to Fitz's presidency, was good to Olivia. They had always been on the same page since day one, and seeing Cyrus made things feel like they were in sync all over again. But as she lay there, she knew there was one question she wanted to ask – how is he? – but something was holding her back.

"Liv." Cyrus's voice broke out, low and serious.

He held Olivia's ankles together and slowly moved her legs off of his lap. She quickly sat up and looked at his eyes, which were now troubled.

"Cyrus…?" She asked hesitantly.

"There's starting to be some talk about Defiance, Ohio."

This is my first fan fiction in YEARS. I was inspired by Olivia Pope's awesome character and her amazing chemistry with Fitz, as well as some truly fantastic fan-written stories here, so I decided to write my own. I start some three months after Fitz is shot and is still somewhat recovering. PLEASE let me know what you think and review! Thanks guys!