Even Lovers Drown CH 43

The next part of Jocelyn’s plan was not met with unanimous agreement. They were back in the Oval Office.

“I’m not sure if this is a good idea.” Cyrus said for what sounded like the thousandth time.

“We need the coordination of several offices all with the same carefully crafted message all broadcasting at several strategic times.” Jocelyn insisted. “Can you think of any other alternatives?”

Cyrus sat back in his chair, clearly unhappy, but he had nothing substantial to rebut her words with and he knew it. He didn’t like the feeling and that was clear as well.

Jocelyn sent him a somewhat apologetic glance. The last thing she wanted was to step on Cyrus Beene’s toes - his reputation preceded him - no one with any sense who worked in close proximity to the White House ever wanted to get on Cyrus’ bad side.

“I can lay the groundwork, but it would go a long way to have someone more experienced than I coordinating all of the finer talking points we want put out there for the public - the world - to address and consider. We cannot afford to overlook anything, and since my focus, my area of expertise, is not in these kinds of communications, I don’t understand the reluctance.”

She looked at both men. “Unless there are circumstances that I don’t know about that makes this such a bad idea?”

Fitz could feel Cyrus carefully not looking at him and he found himself just as carefully not looking back at Cyrus. Jocelyn was making sense, of course she was. And if they were going to use all of, the weapons at their disposal, then what she was proposing absolutely made sense - it was the most logical thing in the world.

But what Jocelyn wanted was to bring Olivia Pope back into the White House. What she wanted was for Olivia to apply her skills as the former Communications Chief to take all those myriad threads they’d been working on and weave them into something they could put to use in this unseen, underground battle to bring the hostages home safe and sound. Olivia was more than qualified to do the job.

Cyrus was worried about what Olivia’s presence in the White House might set off.

Fitz wondered the same.

Jocelyn’s gaze went back and forth between the two of them, quietly assessing the level of disagreement that filled the air.

“Perhaps I should leave you two to discuss my proposal in detail. I’ll be in my office.” she said at last.  Before either man could stop her, she’d left the room.

A long silence began.

“She’s right, you know.” Fitz was the first to break it.

Cyrus stood up and began pacing back and forth in front of his desk. “Of course, she’s right. Olivia could prove to be a big help to us right now.”

He stopped and looked Fitz in the eye. “She could also prove to be a huge distraction  - and we can’t afford that right now, can we?”

“Are you insinuating that I can’t do my job simply because Olivia would be here, working with us again?” Fitz felt his eyes narrow as he stared at Cyrus.

“I am not insinuating anything, Mr. President. But we both know that the two of you  - who are normally some of the best and brightest people that I’ve known, tend to lose all common sense when it comes to both of you. Would you say I was wrong, sir?”

“I would say that you are not giving us credit to understand the severity of the situation. I can assure I can keep my pants on, Cyrus.”

“That’s not my main concern, sir; I’m no fool and neither is  Olivia. It’s your heart that concerns me. Your heart and hers.”

That was not the answer Fitz had been expecting. His eyebrows rose in surprise. “Cyrus?”

The other man let out a sigh. “I’m not blind, sir. Not when I know the two of you so well. In the beginning, when I first realized what had happened, I told myself that it was just an unintentional fling, something that happened on the road, because of all the intensity and the pressures and the enforced closeness we all were going through.”

Cyrus took a deep breath. He’d never wanted to see it, never wanted to admit it, but it is what it is. “But now, I know it for what it is. You love her. You’re in love with her. And God help her and you, she is in love with you too. Whether it’s a love that will destroy you both - neither one of you seem to care. You just - love.”

Fitz didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t know if there was anything to say to that. “But we need her now.”

Cyrus nodded. “We need her now.”

Fitz’s lips twisted in a strange little smile. “Should we toss a coin to see who makes the call?”

“Is it the winner or the loser who makes the call?”

They looked at each other, then they laughed. Together.

//**//

Olivia was surprised - and instantly wary - to see Cyrus show up at her office. She waved him to a seat.

“The gods are capricious.” he muttered to himself as he sat. “Why else would I lose the toss?”

“What was that?” Olivia asked. “I didn’t hear you.”

Cyrus shook his head. “It was nothing. I was just talking to myself. An old man’s habit. It happens when we’re tired and overworked...”

He looked off into space for a moment. “I thought about owning a book store once...it’s a quiet life...people like you, bring you little gifts at holidays...”

“And for you, it would be a slow form of suicide.” Olivia gave him a look. “Why are you here, Cy? Is there another White House crisis underway? I already have a case I’m working on and I don’t have the time for another.”

“Nothing more than what you’ve seen on the news.” Cyrus said. He leaned forward in his chair. “And that’s exactly what I’m here about.”

Olivia leaned against her desk and gave him another, harder look. “What exactly are you talking about?”

“We need you, Olivia. The White House, this administration needs you right now.” He laid out the situation for her as briefly as he could.

Olivia looked suspicious. “I don’t know about this, Cyrus...”

Reading her all too well, he shook his head. “This wasn’t even his idea, Olivia - but it’s a good one. It gives us room to maneuver in. It gives us hope of freeing the hostages.”

Olivia examined the plan as Cyrus had explained it to her. She could see the merits of it. But she could see the possible - probable issues as well.  But what was her discomfort compared to the lives of innocent people?

“I’ll do it.” She fixed her eyes on Cyrus. “But this does not mean that the band is back together.”

Cyrus shrugged even as a hint of a smile played around the corners of his mouth.

“Close enough.”