Wow, Scandal was amazing yesterday, I'm still trying to understand what happen. Here is another chapter of Bittersweet, Hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer: Don't own the show or its characters . . . this is just a fanfic. As always review, message, or send a smoke signal. LM1

Meanwhile in the oval office

Fitz leaned against the front of the desk, and smiled at me standing across the room.

I raised an eyebrow, "what are you smiling at everything is a mess, your presidency is in the toilet, the media is connecting you to a dead girl, and our sex tape is viral." I shook my head at how everything has gone to hell in a mere 24 hours.

Fitz motioned for me to come closer. "You know you are quite sexy when you are frustrated, right?"

"Fitz this is not the time or place for dirty talk?"

He laughed his familiar Fitz laugh. "Olivia this is the perfect time for it, everyone is so bended out of shape over this situation . . . this is the out we are all looking for."

"An out, you not leaving a regular 9 to 5 job Fitz . . . your about to lose one of the most important position in this country."

He smirked, as I moved toward the window and out of the camera view.

Fitz walked over and joined me, "Olivia it's just a job, one for which has little meaning if I don't have you."

"Whoa . . . whoa. . . Fitz you are getting a head of yourself."

"Am I, the only thing that's keeping me away from you is being President."

"But your marriage to Mellie . . . "

Fitz cuts me off, "The only thing that kept me married was being President"

"If I'm not President there is nothing keeping me away from you, nothing keeping me from marrying you, nothing is keeping me from building a life with you"

I was caught off guard by what Fitz was saying; I looked down at my phone. The phone showed a screen saver of Lily smiling. "Your life will always be complicated, even if you were not president and my life is complicated too."

Fitz grabs my hand softly. "I know Liv and I would love baby Lily like she is my own"

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you know her name?" I pulled away afraid of what else he may know about the daughter we share.

"I'm the President of the United States, I do have access to things like people's names Olivia" He jokingly said.

"Well Fitz . . . about Lily" I sighed deciding there would never be a perfect time to tell him and everything was so messed up, why not just put all my cards on the table.

Fitz smiled at the cellphone screensaver. "She is an amazingly beautiful 10 month old who has your smile."

My mouth dropped. "How do you know that is she ten months?"

Fitz took out his personal phone, and put in a special code unlocking it. He goes to his pictures and showed me a dozen pictures of me and Lily out in Washington D.C.

"You had me and my child followed." I raised an eyebrow.

"Not intentionally, I just wanted to make sure you were ok . . . so I had you followed and only naturally I would get pictures of you with your daughter."

"There on your phone . . . why?" My heart-raced with each picture I strolled through of me and Lily at the park, me and Lily eating pizza at Louie's, me and Lily getting ice cream cones, and me and Lily at mommy and me class.

Fitz muttered, "Please don't think this is weird but I had them transfer to my phone because sometimes I need a pick me up and seeing you two . . . imagining you and our would be child of about the same age doing those things . . . gets me through the day."

Guilt consumed me inside at the thought of him looking at our daughter and not knowing.

He interrupted my deep thought, "tell me about her, what does she like to eat, what are her favorite things, does she talk, just anything."

I sighed and swallowed hard. "She likes mashed up bananas, it's a messy meal but it's her favorite."

"Bananas are amazing goodness Liv, no condemning the messiness of them" He teased.

"Her most prized possession is a pink elephant called Ellie"

Fitz is tickled with joy. "Yup definitely a republican in the making."

I laughed. "She will pick a party that best fits her views mister." I shook my head, "yes she talks, increasingly more and will have full conversations with you if you let her."

"Yup she would not be a Pope if she did not like to talk and be opinionated"

"Hey those are not bad things."

"Never said it was, those are things I love about you." Fitz pulled me closer and kissed my lips. "She may not be mines but I would love her and you forever if you let me . . . we can do this liv."

This very personal moment was interrupted by Fitz's secretary. "Sir there was an incident at Karen's school and secret service is bringing her home immediately."

Fitz pulled away. "What happen? . . . is she ok?"

The secretary nodded. "Mr. President she is going to be fine just some of the kids heard about the recent scandal and were quite cruel to her. She cried to her secret service detail and demanded to go home, she will be taken to the private residence"

Fitz turned to me, "Were not done talking about this, I just need to go see Karen."

I nodded. "I will be around, go make sure Karen is okay."

Fitz rushed off to the private residence of the White House.

I wondered to the garden needing to think; the garden being the only place, besides Fitz's arms, I really felt at peace.

"Trying to make a big decision?" Cyrus muttered to me.

I turned to him. "I already know your opinion so you don't have to say it."

Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "Do you really?"

"Yes you think Fitz should fight for his presidency and I'm a horrible distraction that is ruining his life."

"Your correct about the first part, I do think he should remain president, but the second part I have never thought." Cyrus took a seat on a bench in the garden and I joined him on the bench.

"What?" I said half shocked he did not perceive me as a distraction for Fitz.

Cyrus sighed. "Olivia I would like to apologize some of the choices I have made since I found out about you and Fitz have not been the best. . . I called you names you did not deserve and I said things I know hit below the belt . . . but I did those things to protect both you and him."

"So calling me a gold-digger whore who is ruining your perfect president is helping me?"

"No but keeping you two part is, the sad reality is Olivia, he does not belong to you."

"I know he is married to Mellie"

"No you don't get it . . . Fitz does not belong to her . . . he does not belong to you . . . nor does he belong to me, he belongs to the American people who voted for him. He belongs to the American people who are suffering right now in one of the worst recession since the Great Depression. You have seen the numbers, there are large percentages across several states of American without jobs, on public assistance, and in need of strong leadership."

"Why does it has to be Fitz, there are many people that could help this country through this time, hell you could even do the job, I did not want to stand in the way of Fitz being happy in the normal life he seek.

Cyrus laughed and shook his head. "Normal life . . . Fitz. . . Fitz will never be normal, yes he can resign but he will always have this title . . . this job connected to him."

I muttered, "But . . . "

Cyrus shook his head and interrupted me. "Yes I could run for public office and do an okay job, but this country deserves someone who is great . . . who makes the right decision even when there are unpopular . . . who they could place they trust in . . . that person is not me, I have always been meant to be a background person, while he is meant to be great."

Cyrus paused. "Look Liv I can say how he is the best person for the job and how the American people need him, but to be honest Fitz cannot step down because his meant for greatness. Yes he could have a normal life with you, but at the end of the day he would not be living up to his true potential and settling for normalcy. There is nothing wrong with normalcy for most people but when you have been created to be great your entire life and people around you have made sacrifices for you to be great, there is something wrong with you not living up to that greatness.

Cyrus sighed. "In the ideal world you and him could be together, I could adopt a baby from some Asian country with James, but we don't live in an ideal world . . . we live in a world that places us in certain roles . . . I am an workaholic Chief of Staff that does not have time for children, you are a political fixer who reputation is built on your integrity, and Fitz is the president of the United States whose meant to change lives, to be anything else would go against what we are destined to be."

I'm quiet for a while as I reflect on everything that has been said and knowing what I must do. "How can I help Fitz remain president."

A few hours later . . .

I had made a deal with the devil, Mellie, to save Fitz's Presidency. Everything was set in place before anyone told an unsuspecting Fitz the plan. Mellie, Cyrus, and I all waited for Fitz's return from the White House residence.

Fitz knew something was up when he walked into the room and saw the three of them standing together. Fitz opened his mouth, "I think . . . I'm going to make a resignation speech tonight and then go through the formal steps of resigning with Congress tomorrow morning."

Cyrus shook his head. "That will not be necessary Mr. President we have this cover, you and Mellie have a meeting with Fox News in an hour."

I hand him some papers. "I have prepared some talking points for you and have been working with Mellie."

Fitz looked confused. "Talking points . . . talking points, what is going on." He looked down and began to read.

"Talking points for your exclusive interview telling your side of the story . . . how the tape is of you and Mellie, and you had nothing to do with Amanda Tanner."

Fitz tossed the papers to the ground. "Liv. . . no we have agreed, I was stepping down . . . we were going to be together."

"Fitz this is what's best for everyone, the country, this administration, your kids, and you."

''What best for me, how dare you tell me what is best for me, you obviously have no concept of what is best for me."

"Fitz. . ."

"No I'm a grown man . . . you have no right to make decisions for me, and about us." Fitz grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes.

"Fitz this is the rational decision, what we talked about earlier . . . running away together is not reality, you are the president and I have a life of my own."

"It could be reality . . . if you let it." He looked down. "Olivia tell me now that you don't love me and I will go through with this stupid plan you three cooked up."

I swallowed hard. "Fitz I don't love you." It took everything in me to lie to him.

Fitz pulls away and shouts. "Fine then . . . get the hell out of the White House . . . you are not welcome here"

"Fitz . . ."

"No you wanted out of this relationship . . . you want me to stay in a dead marriage and produce a baby with a woman I don't love . . . and continue to live a lie for what, this job?" Fitz shook his head. "Just get out Olivia . . . I cannot look at you right now."

Heartbroken I slid on my jacket and walked out of the White House.

Fitz picked up the papers and read them, "Let's get this over."

The next 48 hours Fitz and Mellie hit several news outlets with their explanation of the sex tape and how Billy is mentally ill and delusional. Mellie announce that she is expecting and their marriage is stronger than ever.

Sally Langston, after being blackmailed, also agreed to support the story that Billy has mental problem adding creditability to the story.

Amanda Tanner's father statement was the most damning for Billy. He went on Oprah's show for an exclusive. He painted Billy as an abusive, controlling, and manipulative person that used his innocent small town daughter as a pawn in his sick vendetta against President Grant.

The final nail was TMZ obtaining records that show Billy's spend year in a mental institution as a teenager for mental instability following a mysterious fire at his catholic middle school that injured one of his classmates.

Billy watched from his favorite sport bar in Foggy Bottom, as his plan completely feel apart and everyone he trusted turned against him. He rush back to his home and was cornered by his family.

"What are you guys doing here?" He muttered, knowing they probably are here because of what is being said in the media.

Billy's father spoke, as his mother just look down at the ground. "Billy we think you should take a small vacation given the recent events."

Billy shook his head. "Father whatever you heard is a lie; the president did sleep with my ex-girlfriend and that sex tape is real."

His father took and walked over to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Son, this is how your last mental break down happen, with you believing everyone is lying on you."

Billy pulled away upset. "No I'm telling the truth, this is not like last time, I promise."

Billy's mother sighed, "We know it's not like the last time, because we are going to get you help before you hurt someone again."

Billy looked confused, "What do you mean help."

Billy's father looked into his son's eyes "We are having you committed to Spring Grove."

Two large men dressed in hospital uniforms entered the apartment and dragged Billy away. The press had a field day taking pictures of him being put in a black psychiatric hospital van.

Mellie is sitting in bed reading a woman's magazine.

Fitz climbed into bed on the far right side of their large king size bed. "So how far are you along?"

Mellie put down the magazine. "What do you mean, we have not even started to have sex again for me to be expecting silly." She moved in closer to him. "Unless you want to start to tonight?" she tried to say in a sexy voice.

Fitz had a disgusted look on his face. "I would not touch you, if you were the last living being on this earth and I know you are not a selfless person, so when are you and George expecting YOUR baby"

Mellie looks shocked. "In 8 months."

Fitz shook his head. "Your such a hypocrite, I get Olivia knocked up its the end of the world as we know . . . you get knocked up by another man and you find a way to make it a political stunt." He clapped his hands. "This is rich."

Mellie smirked "It's not my fault my timing is better than yours, sweetheart, and how did you know I was pregnant."

"After over 20 years of marriage I like to think I know you Mellie and I know you would not put your body through another pregnancy for me . . . I had to beg you to have the first two for my political career. And" He paused "When you are PMSing you an even bigger Bitch then you normally are, and you have been pretty mellow instead."

"Guess. . . I cannot get much by you Fitz." Mellie smugly said.

"No you cannot." Fit knowing Mellie and Cyrus has something to do with Olivia changing her mind.

Meanwhile at the Spring Grove psychiatric hospital

In a white straight coat, Billy rocked himself back and forth in a patted room. Several doctors watch him from a window. He muttered to himself "Olivia Pope you will pay for your sins . . ."

Fitz learns more about Lily . . . Cyrus plays mind games with Olivia . . . Olivia made a deal with the devil . . . Mellie is expecting America's baby . . . Billy is in the nut house. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and chapter 18 is going to be explosive, Literally. LM1