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Cyrus gets Vanessa (the reporter who’s been getting the texts) an exclusive interview with President in hopes of getting her to reveal her source. James is nervous, so David Rosen advises him to leak the tape of Cyrus and Sally talking on the night that DDL died. Vanessa then wants to meet with Publius, so David Rosen offers to go in James’s place and gets kidnapped. Luckily, it’s just Abby and Harrison doing the kidnapping; Abby sensed something was up and hacked into David’s e-mail to prevent him from getting killed. True love.
The press discovers that Nichols illegally bought oxycodone to help with some back pain while he was campaigning for governor. Nichols offers to drop out of the race to end the story. Turns out that twelve years ago, Nichols discovered Mellie nearly dead from an oxycodone overdose some time after Big Jerry raped her, and saved her life. And Mellie confessed the rape to him, as well as her doubts about her baby’s parentage. Nichols later confessed that he was into Mellie THAT WAY, and she was into him too, but she turned him down. Liv figures out that Mellie bought the pills and Nichols is covering for her. She thinks Mellie and Nichols are having an ongoing affair and orders her to stop; Mellie points out the hypocrisy, because while Mellie was tempted, she never slept with Nichols. Except in present day, when she makes out with him and then runs away.
Sally meets with Hollis Doyle, who promises lots of money for her campaign if he gets to pick the Energy Secretary. Sally’s a little distracted, because she keeps hallucinating DDL’s corpse on her office floor. Hollis is also still meeting with Cyrus, keeping his options open, but Fitz tells Cyrus that he doesn’t want to take one dollar from Hollis, even though his campaign is having trouble attracting donors.
Quinn tails Charlie while he’s working and ends up spying on Liv and Rowan having a contentious dinner. On her way out, Liv spots Quinn (because she’s terrible at being a spy) and tells her to cut the B613 shit and come back. Quinn explains that she can’t, because Huck licked her face and that’s tough to get over. Liv tries to speak reasonably, but Quinn pulls a gun on her and orders her out of the car. Liv accuses Jake of hiring Quinn after she told him not to but Jake denies it and tells Liv a few things about how he’s not her errand boy. I might have cheered.
Later, Jake calls Quinn into his office to tell her to stop pretending to be a spy. Quinn sends him pictures of Rowan and Leo Bergen meeting and wonders why B613 didn’t know about it.
Jake gets a briefcase with files on all of B613’s active operations, and is told he has a spy in the White House and that it’s Command’s job to stay two steps ahead of the President. At the end of the day, his spy in the White House stops by -- it’s Tom the Secret Service Agent. He gives Jake a flash drive with that day’s events on it, including footage of Liv and Fitz in the Oval, and Liv confessing that she doesn’t know if she has feelings for Jake.
Adnan tries to get Harrison to do something with a briefcase of money and references something from Harrison’s past called Clearwater. Harrison later donates the cash to the Grant campaign to get Adnan Salif into Fitz’s fundraising dinner, where she tells Cyrus that she has money to donate if he’s interested. And then she goes back to her hotel room to inform her partner that they’re in. Her partner… Olivia’s mother.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Jake, Tom the Secret Service Agent, and a number of other Secret Service agents stand in a hotel hallway, pretending not to listen while Olivia and Fitz have a screaming match inside the hotel room. Even more awkward, they're screaming because Fitz doesn't want Jake outside their room. Jake tries to make small talk with Tom. What a trooper.
Inside the hotel room, Fitz and Olivia are getting dressed. So, wait. Liv had Jake deliver her to a hotel room and then wait outside while she has sex with Fitz? The balls on that lady. Seriously. She claims she needs him there to throw off reporters, and Fitz says she wants him there. Does she, Fitz? Does she want him to stand outside while you bone her? You're the one boning her while he stands outside awkwardly with the Secret Service, so what is your problem? Anyway, Fitz compares Jake to "a fox in [his] henhouse" and Olivia spits: "I am not a HEN. And my HOUSE is not yours." I think by house, she meant vagina.
The framing of this scene is ridiculous since they are trying to hide Kerry Washington's pregnancy. I think wardrobe is not going her any favors by trying to still put her in fitted suits with peplums, as that's just advertising that her waist is growing. Anyway, Liv yells about Fitz making an enemy of her father, and Fitz yells that he used to trust Jake, so he put him in charge of B613, but now he's compromised. Dude, Jake was in love with Liv WAY before you put him in charge of B613. And frankly, you're the one who forced Jake into Liv's life in the first place. So, as my kids' preschool teacher says, zip it and lock it and put it in your pocket.
Fitz insists that Jake is going to fight for and try to win Liv, and Liv tells him that not only is she not a hen, she's also not a prize that can be won. They keep yelling back and forth until Fitz snarls, "Will you just shut up and let me talk?" Ohhh-kay. I don't know about y'all, but I would never be with a person who talked to me like that, even in anger, even in a fight. Because that right there shows a basic lack of respect and/or inability to manage anger and/or lack of impulse control. I would run out the door and never look back. Liv is taken aback.
Fitz tries again and says more calmly that Liv brought Jake on, and he knows she did it for Fitz, or because Mellie made him think she was doing it for him. Liv screams at him: "I didn't do this for you! I didn't do this for YOU. I did this for me, so I could work on the campaign, so I could walk down the street and not be whispered about. So I could stop being known as the woman who screwed the President, so the scarlet A on my chest could be invisible, so I'm not a JOKE. I am a person. I am not a hen. I am not a prize. And I have a business to run, people to support, a life to lead, a DESIRE to wake up and face myself in the mirror every day. Oh, and once? I fixed a Presidential election, and I'd like a chance to right that wrong. Your wife may be many things but on ONE thing we are united. I cannot win a Presidential election if I am your public WHORE." Wow. That was quite a speech. While I've learned not to get too invested in any scene where Liv and Fitz seem to be breaking up, I did like a few things that Liv said there. One is that she recognized that she's making bad choices (can't look at herself in the mirror). One is that she recognizes that she has a responsibility to the people who work for her, unlike Fitz who doesn't seem to give a shit. And mostly, I like that now we know her motivation to continue working on the campaign. It's not so much that she wants Fitz to be President again; it's that she feels like if she can get him elected legitimately, it will make up for getting him elected illegally. I don't know that I agree with her moral gymnastics, but it does make more sense than, at this point, claiming that she thinks Fitz is a great man who should be elected.
Liv calms down and concludes that she is a person with goals and dreams, so having Jake by her side is for her, and has nothing to do with Fitz. Oh, I forgot to mention in that last part that surely all the dudes in the hall heard it when Liv yelled that she fixed a Presidential election, right? I don't think Jake knew that before, did he? Fitz says he's sorry, and he doesn't think about how hard this is for her. Of course he doesn't! He's selfish and a narcissist, why would he? He goes to touch Liv's face and she backs off and tells him not to touch her. Fitz starts to launch into his "someday" promises, but Liv stops him and says that this sex was a one-time thing (yeah, right).
She walks into the hall and seems dismayed to see Jake and everyone else stationed in the hallway. She tells Fitz to go first and she and Jake will follow in five. As Fitz walks away, Liv tells him some advice about talking to donors, as he is presumably headed for some fundraising event. Fitz looks like he wants to say something else but Jake glares at him and he takes off. Jake looks back to Liv, who has the grace to look ashamed. As she should be.
Some future day, Mellie walks into a conference room for a briefing meeting and so far Andrew Nichols is the only one there. Mellie awkwardly smooths her hair and then nervously asks Nichols why he joined the campaign. He says he gets to be in the same meetings as Mellie, but she wants to make sure that's not WHY he joined the campaign. He says that's not the reason, and Mellie laughs nervously and thanks him, taking a seat. But he's not done: "That's not the only reason." Mellie tells him seriously that nothing will happen between them and if he has hopes beyond that, he needs to tamp them down permanently. And why would he have any hopes?
Flashback to fourteen years ago, after Mellie was raped and possibly impregnated by her father-in-law. Fitz and Mellie had a fight upstairs in their house while Nichols waited awkwardly downstairs. A lot of that in this episode. Anyway, Fitz is trying to convince Mellie to go to a dinner honoring his father, but she doesn't want to go, and she can't tell him why. Every time Fitz tries to touch her, Mellie flinches or moves away. Fitz asks why she's acting this way, and adds that she won't sleep with him either. Mellie looks at him with tears in her eyes, but can't say anything. Fitz tries to gently touch her face and she flinches away, so Fitz yells, "What the hell is WRONG WITH YOU?" Okay, if my spouse was acting this way, I would get him to a therapist pronto, because there's clearly something going on beyond normal marital distress, right? I wouldn't yell at him, for Christ's sake. Mellie leaves the room and sees Nichols outside but she rushes past him without speaking.
Harrison and Adnan are getting dressed after sex; she tries to get him to come back to bed by saying, "Lotta peaches on the tree, H. Be a shame if you eat just one." That's a phrase that sounds really dirty but then you think about it and what exactly is she saying? Anyway, Harrison says he has to go to work, but Adnan is ready to reveal the real reasons she's there and pops open a briefcase full of cash. Harrison says he doesn't care what she wants him to do, because he's not doing it. Adnan asks if Liv knows about Clearwater, which stops Harrison in his tracks. He glares at Adnan as she says that Liv apparently thinks Harrison was only guilty of insider trading.
Abby and David Rosen are also just waking up. Abby tells David, "I love you" but he's not sleeping! He's awake! He gazes at her sleepily but before he can respond, his phone rings. He tells her he has to take it and Abby looks upset that he didn't respond in kind.
James is on the phone, freaking out more than usual. James says that Cyrus is talking to Vanessa Chandler, which he interprets as "Publius is busted." David soothes him by saying that Vanessa doesn't know that James is Publius, so she can't tell Cyrus. They take a moment to discuss that Publius is a terrible name, especially when you say it so many times, which cracks me up, especially when James hisses, "It has historical significance!" So typical of James to make a choice without thinking through the consequences. Anyway, David advises James to "play it cool," which, has he met James?
Cyrus finishes talking to Vanessa and calls James into his office, telling him to close the door. James is already sweating buckets, because it's totally normal to be this nervous to talk to your husband. Cyrus wants James to arrange an exclusive interview for Vanessa with Fitz. James wonders why, and then puts the pieces together and tells Cyrus he can't ask a journalist to name her source. Cyrus says he can't wait around and see what she does with the information she's being fed, but admits that he hasn't asked about her source yet; he's waiting until after the interview. James offers to be the one who asks, and Cyrus acquiesces.
In a conference room, Liv explains why the rollout of Andrew Nichols is so important to the campaign; they have to raise big dollars so they can start placing ad buys. Their strategy is to play up the friendship between Fitz and Nichols, and there's much joking about the word "bromance." Cyrus bursts in and says that journalist Carla Steele has called asking for a comment on a story she's working on saying that there was oxycodone being used in the Governor's mansion during Fitz's first team. Liv quickly spins a strategy where they attack the source for lying, but Nichols stops her and says that they can't, because it's true.
Jake is working in his office at B613 when two agents enter with a locked briefcase and say they've been tasked with delivering it in the event of a change in command. After verifying Jake's identity, they unlock it and leave. He's just getting this now? I mean, hasn't he been in office for at least a few weeks? I don't know how much time has passed since the midseason finale, but it has to be at least a week or two, and you'd think this would have happened on day one or two. Anyway, it's all of the files explaining ongoing B613 operations, which are plentiful and international. The cover letter also explains that B613 has to operate without the interference of the Executive branch, and he has to stay a few steps ahead of the President; to that end, he has a mole in the White House, who will be introducing him or herself shortly. Hmm. Who could that be? Cyrus? Lauren? Jake looks quite overwhelmed, like he didn't realize how extensive B613's operations were. Seems a bit naïve; maybe he should have found that out before accepting the job? Is it weird that I'm way more interested in B613's operations than Fitz's stupid reelection campaign? I kind of want Liv to join B613, but I guess we've already had that show and it was called Alias.
Leo is prepping Sally for a meeting with a big donor, a whale, in her office. Sally is distracted by visions of DDL's dead body on her carpet, but insists that she can handle this meeting. The whale is none other than Hollis Doyle. He enters and gives his condolences on DDL, which sends Sally into a bit of a tailspin, but he doesn't seem to notice and launches right into his demands: if he donates, he wants to get to name the Energy Secretary. Leo says jovially that they can live with that, but Sally can't respond as she's still envisioning DDL's corpse. She finally squeaks out a yes as Doyle watches her skeptically.
OPA and Fitz's team try to get to the bottom of the Nichols drug scandal. Nichols reports that he threw his back out while touring the state, stumping for midterm candidates, and didn't want to have an oxy prescription on record since he was supposed to be an anti-prescription abuse candidate. So he called a guy.
Cut to OPA, where Abby is reporting that Carla Steele has the doctor who brought the drugs as well as the entry logs from the governor's mansion showing that the doctor visited. Olivia visits Carla and tries to bully her into giving up the story by suggesting that her doctor source could be lying, and also threatening that if Carla goes forward with this story, all access to the White House will be shut down and she won't get interviews with any important Republicans. Liv hasn't yelled out a good "SHUT IT DOWN!" lately. I miss that.
Flashing back to the conference room, Liv calls Nichols a hypocrite. Mellie sticks up for him but Nichols says she's right, and if someone needs to take the fall for this story, it should be him. Everyone is silent and then Liv says it could work, and they could have a new VP pick by morning. Fitz wants them to try to fix this first and they'll worry about a new VP if it can't be fixed.
Back to Liv talking to Carla Steele. She promises Carla that her career will be over, and Carla isn't intimidated because she has "rock-solid evidence" so the only person who should be worried her is Liv. Carla walks off and Liv looks concerned. Welp, that didn't work.
Back to OPA, Abby, Harrison, and Liv are trying to figure out who's behind this story. I kind of love how, on this show, sources with lots of dirt are always just falling into the media's lap, and none of the journalists have to do any actual reporting. Except that one time when James figured out that the election had been rigged. Anyway, Abby thinks it's Leo Bergen, but Liv points out that he ran the Democratic campaign against Nichols in California, so if he had this dirt, he'd have used it already.
Liv gets an idea and calls Jake to find out what happens to the head of B613 when he's no longer the head of B613. Jakes tries to beg off answering questions but then admits that Rowan has no power, no access to information, and no security detail. Liv says that she thinks her father is trying to tank Fitz's re-election. Jake points out that he has a job that has nothing to do with Liv's "family drama." Liv growls that her father is out for Fitz's blood, and Jake's, and probably hers, so whatever his endgame is, it will definitely affect the Republic. Jake is torn, but then promises to "see what [he] can find out." As much as I admire Jake for having a backbone, Liv is right that if someone is threatening the President, it does threaten the Republic.
When Liv hangs up, she sees Huck lurking in her doorway. He hands her a coffee and then leaves. Liv just shakes her head and wonders what's going on with that weirdo.
Charlie hangs up from a call with Jake and hops back into bed with Quinn, bringing his laptop and complaining about having to hack instead of kill people. Quinn checks out his screen and asks if he's looking into Rowan. Charlie reminds her that he promised the new boss he wouldn't let Quinn help. She starts murmuring sweet nothings about penetrating viruses, and Charlie is tempted, but then he snaps the laptop shut and says Quinn has to sit out this round.
Mellie does her usual "lurk in the hallways with papers and corner someone" move and this time, she corners Nichols to ask him why he's ruining his career like this. He says that someone needs to look out for Mellie, because Fitz isn't doing it. Flashback to Nichols leaving something on Fitz's desk in the Governor's mansion late at night when he hears a moan and discovers Mellie, unconscious on the floor, having taken a bottle full of Oxycodone. He carries her into the bathroom and shoves his fingers down her throat to make her throw up. Now that's love.
James and Cyrus walk and talk in the West Wing. James confirms that they've set up the exclusive interview with Vanessa and Fitz for the end of the month, but Cyrus thinks that three weeks is too much time for Vanessa to get more secrets from her source. This is a terrible plan, by the way. She's never going to give up her source AFTER she gets the interview. She needs to give up the source in order to GET the interview. Don't these people understand how blackmail works? Cyrus says that if the DDL story comes out, it will mean the election. James doesn't know what to say, so Cyrus says he'll take care of "Deep Throat" himself.
James freaks out and calls David Rosen. I should make a macro for that. James knows they can't use the NSA tape in court, but wants David to send it to his bosses. David says he can't (but doesn't explain why not – seems like the sort of thing they'd like to know about) but suggests that they send it to Vanessa as Publius. David adds that if more people know about it, Cyrus won't accomplish anything by having James killed. So weird to me that James is (relatively) calmly discussing how his husband might kill him. Abby walks in and asks who was on the phone and David lies that it was work. Abby is suspicious.
Charlie is spying on Rowan and Olivia dining in a restaurant when Cyrus calls and says he has a job. Charlie hesitates but ultimately takes it, which is when we see that Quinn was tailing Charlie. She doesn't follow as he leaves, but instead continues watching Rowan and Liv dine.
Inside, Liv tells Rowan that she's worried that he's making threats against the President, especially since he has no protection anymore and people are going to want to get rid of him. She tosses on the guilt, saying that she already lost her mom and doesn't want to lose her dad too. Rowan tells her he's not buying into her bullshit and Liv doesn't even try to deny it, and leaves. On her way out, she easily spots Quinn spying on her. You guys, I'm worried about the future of B613 if Charlie didn't notice Quinn tailing him but Liv spotted her immediately. Also, Quinn is terrible at spying. I'm going to fanwank that Charlie did notice Quinn tailing him but he thought it was cute so he didn't say anything.
Liv hops into Quinn's car and berates her for being so stupid, because if Rowan had exited first, Quinn would have been in big trouble. Quinn claims she knows what she's doing, but then admits that she doesn't have many options other than B613. She doesn't tell Liv that she's not even officially working for B613. Liv tells her, "Come home." Quinn looks away, but you can see on her face that's all she really wants, but she knows that she can't, mostly because of Huck. She confesses to Liv that Huck licked her face like a piece of meat, and Liv looks really sad but tells Quinn that B613 will destroy her. Quinn tells her to get out of the car because "I'm violent now, or hadn't you heard?" Liv protests and Quinn pulls a gun. Liv still protests but Quinn growls and Liv leaves. Look, I buy the rationale they've given why Quinn would be making the choices that she is; I just don't really give a shit what happens to her. Would this show really suffer without her storyline? No.
Jakes walks into Liv's apartment and asks, "What?" Apparently she called him to come home early (and it amuses me to think of Jake's job as the type where you have to make an excuse to leave early but it's totally cool to murder people). Liv starts yelling at Jake for assigning Quinn to tail Rowan instead of any number of other anonymous agents. Jake says he didn't, but Liv's not listening. Jake tells her some shit: "You can ask a favor of me. But you cannot tell me how to do it, who to task, or anything remotely close to how to do my job because you have no idea how my world works, the responsibilities I have outside of the little errands you hand me like playing your beard or keeping an eye on your father. And one more thing. Stock your damn fridge." You tell her, Jake! I really love this character and Scott Foley in this role and this is coming from someone who recapped Felicity for many years and was as anti-Noel as they come. Jake makes fun of Liv for drinking wine instead of beer and eating popcorn instead of actual food, and the whole time he's talking, he's taking his shirt off so that at the end he can tell Liv that he's taking a shower to wash off his long day before they have pretend sex. And more importantly, show off his incredible torso. Hello, Scott Foley. I wonder if Jennifer Garner is regretting any of her life choices these days. I'm just saying, Ben Affleck is always in the Congo and he's looking a bit puffy.
Harrison drinks hard liquor and stares at the briefcase of money that Adnan left. Then he dials up Grant Campaign headquarters and says he'd like to make a donation.
Leo calls Doyle to make sure the donation is still on its way, and Doyle assures him that it is. While Doyle is making these assurances, he's entering Cyrus's office. Cyrus wants to know if they can count on Doyle, and he reports that Leo promised him the Energy Secretary pick. Cyrus says he'll see what he can do, and Doyle promises to attend their donor dinner tonight.
Abby walks into OPA and asks Huck to hack into David's email, because she can tell he's up to something. Huck, meanwhile, is doing actual work for the firm and has located the doctor who is serving as the source for the oxycodone report.
Abby and Harrison corner the good bad doctor in a bar. First, they try threatening to air his dirty laundry, but he says all his dirt is public. , Abby asks if he really wants to ruin a good man's political career, and the doctor responds, "Should've thought of that before she called me." Abby and Harrison exchange a look like, "SHE?????"
Rosen and James meet beneath a highway bridge. This is going to shock you, but James is freaking out. He sent Vanessa the file and now she wants to meet in person. Rosen isn't surprised; he knows Vanessa can't go forward with a story this big without meeting her source in person. James thinks that if he reveals himself, then he becomes the story – the White House press secretary who betrayed the White House. Rosen sees the logic there and offers to go in James's place, if only so the story can get out and make James safe. James texts Vanessa a date and time, but the text goes to Charlie and Cyrus, since Charlie cloned her phone. Cyrus tells Charlie that the meeting cannot happen.
Mellie enters the Oval and Fitz tells her that he doesn't have time for her. Nice to see you too, Fitz. Mellie just wants to make sure Fitz isn't serious about taking Nichols off the ticket. Fitz doesn't want to, but thinks they might have to. He promise to discuss it with Liv. Mellie says brightly that she'll help out by talking to Liv herself. That got Fitz's attention. He tells her to back off, and by the way, stop giving Liv lists of men to date while she's at it. Mellie thought she was solving a problem, but Fitz says that Liv isn't her problem to solve, and she should stay away. Mellie sighs sadly and asks sincerely what it feels like to be "so hot for someone, so turned on by them that you would put everything you've ever worked for at risk?" She's not being sarcastic; she really wants to know if it's like an amazing high, or a painful burning in your belly or what. Fitz thinks it over, and seems like he's about to answer, but then just says, "I don't have time."
Flashback to just after Mellie's suicide attempt. Nichols tries to talk to Mellie about it, and she whisper yells that she should probably thank him for saving her life, for agreeing not to call an ambulance, and sitting up with her all night. She's being sarcastic, but I really think she should thank him for those things. Instead, she snaps, "Are we done?" Nichols says he doesn't need thanks but he wants to know why she did it. Mellie looks surprised that he cares, then sad, then scared, and then finally admits, " Because my father-in-law forced himself on me, and I don't know if my son is his, and sometimes that makes me not want to be alive." To his credit, Nichols doesn't look all that shocked, and Mellie snaps again, "Are we done?" before stomping up the stairs. So as far as we know, Nichols is the only one besides Mellie and Big Jer who know about the rape. Well, I can see how that would create a bond.
Liv watches a promo for Carla Steele's upcoming special report on drug use by the VP candidate and shakes her head. Harrison walks in and explains that all they got from the doctor is that his patient was a women. He also advises Liv that the fastest way to discredit a source is to make it look like he or she was paid off. Liv balks, but she knows Harrison is right. Huck comes in and gives Liv another mysterious cup of coffee. Is he poisoning her?
Mellie goes through flashcards about the donors who will be present at that night's dinner. I have to take a second to discuss Mellie's outfit. Usually, I think she looks amazing and character-appropriate but tonight she's wearing this salmon Nolan Miller looking dress with a rhinestone buckle and then her hair is all pushed to one side like we used to do in the '80s? She looks like she walked off the set of Dynasty and not in a good way. What is that? Anyway, Liv walks in and says that they got Carla Steele to cancel her interview because the source was paid off, so Nichols can stay on the campaign.
Liv pauses a second and then says that it was Mellie who took the painkillers and Nichols covered for her. Mellie quickly closes the door. Liv goes into a very judgmental place and tells Mellie that this thing with her and Andrew has to stop. Is she serious with this holier-than-thou right now? Mellie chuckles that Liv thinks they're the same, and then steps in close and tells Olivia that they're not the same because Mellie had the chance to cheat, but she "kept [her] knees together and [she] said no." Did she? Does Mellie have the moral high ground here?
Flashback to a night in the Governor's Mansion. Mellie is reading by the fire and Nichols walks in. Mellie explains that Fitz is in San Diego and adds that she's not going to call that doctor again, so he doesn't have to worry. Nichols admits that he keeps thinking about talking to her all night long, and he misses her, and he's so happy when he sees her. He knows it's wrong. Mellie admits that she misses him too. There's a long pregnant pause and then Mellie says, "But…you are the Lieutenant Governor and I am the Governor's wife." Mellie leaves the room. So she did say no.
At the dinner for donors, Nichols gives a speech attacking Sally, which is his job as the VP. Fitz spots Doyle in the audience and asks Cyrus why he's there. Cyrus points out that Doyle may be scum, but he's the only whale they have in the audience tonight. Fitz suddenly gets an attack of morals and says he won't take Doyle's money and he wants Doyle's dinner money refunded.
Later, Cyrus sits down and slugs James's drink. Then he tells James to cancel Vanessa's exclusive, because he's finding out her source tonight. James tries to call David Rosen to warn him but it's too late; David is parking his car across the street from the café where Vanessa waits. Then he opens the trunk (why?) and some dude runs up, throws a bag over David's head, and pushes him into the trunk. No one saw this? There's a full café with huge windows across the street, and David is parked under a street light. Also, why was he popping his trunk? Does he have luggage? So many questions. Anyway, so now David's in the trunk, and the car peels out (which is another good way to get people to look out the window and see what's going on).
David's in the trunk but they let him keep his phone for some reason. These kidnappers are serious amateurs. Why wouldn't he call 911? Instead he calls Abby to tell her that he loves her. The trunk opens, and Abby says that he'd better love her, because she just saved her life. That was a good fakeout on first viewing, but like many things on this show, the whole plotline falls apart if you think about it for five seconds.
Charlie calls Cyrus to tell him Publius never showed. Then Adnan sleeks up behind Cyrus and introduces herself, thanking him for getting her a visa, and saying that a friend bought her a plate. Cyrus doesn't want to be seen with her, since she's a criminal, but she points out that she has unlimited funds to donate and she's heard that Fitz needs money for his campaign. Cyrus is intrigued.
Jake has called Quinn into his office. I feel like Jake needs to learn how to delegate; he's handling all these pissant tasks that should really be handled by an underling. Anyway, he's mad at Quinn for getting involved in the Rowan investigation, but Quinn claims it's proof that she's ready to be on the payroll. Jake has a million reasons why not, but Quinn texts him photos of Rowan meeting with Leo Bergen, something Jake's agents didn't discover, then walks out like she's super cool. She's not, and this isn't going to end well for her.
Huck brings Liv yet another cup of coffee in her office and Liv is finally like, "What's your deal? I don't even drink coffee?" Huck says he's learned it's how human apologize. I can't even with this character sometimes. Huck is sorry about what happened with Quinn, and he wants Liv to stop being mad at him. Liv tells Huck that he went too far with Quinn. Huck reminds Liv that she "took in a wild monster" and groomed him and petted him, and it only made him a loyal monster. He went as far as his leash allowed, and Liv holds the leash. She gave him Quinn to take under his wing, and monsters eat people. I don't even understand that whole monster analogy but it sure seems like victim-blaming to me. Huck can't be held responsible for his actions! He's mentally ill! He's messed up by B613! All of that may be true, but if it is, he should be hospitalized, not working for Liv.
Mellie walks in on Nichols admiring the portrait of Jackie Kennedy. He admits that he's tempted to touch it or steal it, but Mellie chuckles, "We do not touch the first ladies." She joins him to admire the portrait and they flirt a little bit. Mellie tells him the drug story has been shut down by Olivia. Nichols notes that Mellie doesn't like Liv, and Mellie says she gets the job done. Nichols notes that Fitz likes Olivia and Mellie says sadly, "She gets the job done." Nice piece of business, there. Nichols wants to kiss Mellie but she backs away. He stares at her then says, "Right. We do not touch the first ladies." He turns back to the picture and then Mellie totally jumps on his face! After a light makeout sesh under the disapproving eyes of all of the First Lady portraits, Mellie breaks it off and runs away like she can't believe what she just did. Nichols just reaches out and touches the portrait of Jackie Kennedy, because why not break all of the taboos in one night.
Liv is giving Fitz the rundown on the donors in the Oval, but he tiredly asks if they can go over it tomorrow. She agrees and turns to go. Fitz tells her he doesn't want her to leave and she's all, "You just said…" and he's all "I don't want to talk about work." Fitz points out that she can't even look at him and Liv, near tears, forces herself to look at sad old Fitz. She runs through all of the reasons why she can't worry about Fitz anymore. Fitz asks if she has feelings for Jake, and she says it's none of his business. He says he knows but asks again. We don't see her answer.
Jake gets a knock on his office door. Remember when he was told he had a mole in the White House? It's Tom. He's B613, and he'll be making nightly deliveries to Jake telling him what's going on in the White House. Jake opens an envelope with a flash drive, plugs it in, and watches video of the scene we just saw between Liv and Fitz, except this time we see Olivia's answer to whether or not she has feelings for Jake: "Honestly, I don't know. I don't know."
Meanwhile, Adnan arrives back at her place, and a voice asks if they're in. Adnan replies, "We're in" and turns to look at her partner/lover maybe question mark – Liv's mother. She's baaaa-aaack!