And we’re back, Gladiators, for another exciting look into the wonderful world of Scandal! So let’s get this party started, shall we?

Fitz and Jillian are apparently going pretty hot and heavy… or they would be if Abby didn’t interrupt. Abby tells Fitz that he’s “wild carding” by being with Jillian without informing his team or planning ahead. She says that its dangerous to both him and the country.  Fitz tells her to go away and never bring it up again. 

Olivia shows Mellie’s book to her father. He tells her he’s proud of her for putting aside her history with Mellie to reach for the power she wants. Of course, he follows her up by asking her something involving Jake. He tells her that Jake is seeing someone but Liv says that they’re not a couple and Jake can do whatever he wants. 

Susan is giving a speech about her campaign. Right after, she calls David, who unbeknownst to her is in bed with Elizabeth. David tells her she did great and that he wishes he could have been there. She says that he can make it up to her by coming over for dinner and dessert (insert winky face). He agrees and then goes back to sleeping with Elizabeth. Side Note: I don’t know about you, but this whole David being manipulated by Liz thing is really starting to annoy me!

Moving on, Jake and Liv are at her apartment when Huck shows up. He asks her what she’s found out about Jake and Rowan because if she’s not gathering info then shes just sleeping with the enemy. She insists that Jake and Rowan aren’t up to anything but Huck isn’t buying it (and frankly, neither am I).

Cyrus is gathering information about Governor Vargas, who, for now, seems to be the perfect candidate. Cyrus tells Ethan that he wants to know the bad stuff but he says that there isn’t anything; is only downfall is his lack of name recognition. Cyrus seems shaken, though, by the fact that he was Special Forces in the Gulf War. After Ethan leaves, we see that Tom is there. Cyrus tells him to get dressed, because they’re building a president. 

Quinn and Charlie are preparing to go on the road but Charlie says that he can’t because he promised a friend he would babysit. Quinn says that she’ll stay because she doesn’t trust him alone with a child. I don’t know, Quinn, I heard that assassins make great babysitters! 

Back at Liv’s, Liv asks Jake about the girl he’s seeing. He tells her that they’ve been dating for a while and that she’s special. He tells her that she doesn’t need to worry because everyone is safe in this situation. 

At the Oval, Abby apologizes for last night. She continues, however, by saying that he can’t date Lillian, or anyone else, before the White House can make a plan. Just to spite her, he calls Lillian and asks her out, all while smirking at Abby. Is it just me, or is Fitz acting more like a child than the leader of the free world?

Meanwhile, Tom meets with a man named Wayne in a diner, who is apparently a white supremacist. Tom blackmails Wayne, using his son as collateral . Tom tells Cyrus that they’ve found their guy. However, we don’t find out who Wayne really is or what they want from him.

Quinn and Charlie, take the kid to a gulf course. They’re both surprisingly good with him. The whole scene is pretty adorable. 

At David’s office, Liz tells David that Susan is killing in the polls. This is naturally followed by her removing her clothes and saying they should celebrate. David tells her that he can’t because he’s going to see Susan tonight and he’ll probably sleep with her. Liz tells him that he should man up and do both. 

Liv has dinner at her father’s, who is still bragging about Mellie’s book. Liv asks him if he’s happy and he says that he’s content being required. She’s clearly suspicious and remembers all of the moments when her father thrived off of power. It doesn’t seem plausible that he’d be happy without it. 

Back with Wayne, we seem him all nerves as he approaches the Capital. Before he gets in, though, Tom shoots two security guards. He hands Wayne the gun and tells him that it’s his turn. Upstairs, we see Governor Vargas telling everyone to remain calm as Wayne approaches with the gun. A flashback at the diner tells us that this was Tom’s plan all along.

Cyrus is watching the news about the presidential candidates when a breaking news alert appears. Cyrus, however, was clearly expecting this as the they report about the gunman in the Capital. Abby comes in to ask Cyrus to alert Fitz about the shooting but he tells her to do it. 

Abby finds Fitz indisposed with Lillian. After Lillian leaves, Abby tells him that this is exactly what she was afraid of. Fitz fires back by saying that she’s just mad because its not Liv that he’s with. Abby says that he’s right, she’s mad that it’s not Liv because Liv was family, and they both trust her. They know nothing about  Lillian. Fitz tells her to stay out of his personal life or he’ll fire her. Abby just tells him to come downstairs and do his job. 

Ethan comes to watch the news of the shooting with Cyrus, stating how weird it is that he was just looking into Governor Vargas before the fact. Ethan says that Wayne looks like a monster, but Cyrus says he probably had his reasons. 

Quinn and Charlie are still babysitting. Quinn tells Charlie that he’s really good with kids. Charlie says it’s easy when you’re in touch with you’re in touch with your inner child.

Liv asks Jake if he thinks Rowan has changed. Jake tells her that he’s not getting in the middle of them. She asks what Rowan wants with him, saying that he wants them to stop seeing each other before Liv can figure out what he’s planning. She says that if Jake tells her, she can help. He tells her that he has to go to work and leaves.

Abby calls Liv out of the blue. Liv asks her what Fitz did to make her call. Abby tells her that she doesn’t want to know and Liv immediately knows what she’s talking about. Liv tells her that she’s right, she doesn’t want to know, and they hang up. 

Back in the Oval, Cyrus, Fitz, and Jake discuss the situation in the Capital. Jake says that as soon as they have a clean shot, they’ll take Wayne out. Cyrus, in distress, calls Tom to say that they picked the wrong guy. Tom insists that Wayne will shoot but Cyrus doesn’t believe him. Cyrus tells Tom to do whatever is necessary it ensure that Vargas is the hero in this situation. 

At OPA, Liv confronts Huck about his earlier allegations. She tells him that she’s playing the game to win in the best way she knows how. Huck tells her that if she’s not gathering information, then she’s not playing the game at all because she’s terrified of losing.  She says that the only winning move is not to play because Rowan always wins. 

Huck tells her that she was made, just like him and Jake. She’s controlled by Rowan just as much as them. He tells her that she doesn’t need “a guy” like his and Jake’s because Rowan is her guy and he’s always out. He tells her that Rowan will never change and that one day he’ll turn on her. 

At the Capital, a S.W.A.T. team prepares to shoot Wayne if necessary. Inside, Vargas is trying to talk him down. In the background, we see Tom preparing to shoot. On the news, it’s reported that Vargas is shot before he tackles Wayne. Cyrus watches with a smile as he finally gets his hero moment. 

Back in the White House, Abby gets news that someone has a picture of Lillian leaving Fitz’s private residence. He tells her again to stay out of his personal life but she points out that he made it political when he slept with her during the Capital shooting, or so the press will spin it. She tells him that she’s trying to protect him until his presidency is over and asks him to stop fighting her and threatening to fire her. He tells her to call him Fitz because if they’re going to talk about his sex life, she’s now his closest friend. 

Meanwhile, David gets a call from Liz who asks him how his night with Susan went. Seeing as Susan is still in bed with him, he pretends it’s a work call and hangs up. Liz doesn’t seem thrilled about that situation (you know, the one she orchestrated).

Abby tells Cyrus that being work wife isn’t easy and asks for his advice. He tells her that if she can’t beat Fitz, she needs to distract him and suggests that she bring Vargas in for a meet and greet. She bites and Cyrus’s plan seems to going perfectly. 

Back with Charlie and the kid, Charlie drops him off at the police station and tells him to go inside and tell them who he is. It’s revealed that the kid that Quinn and Charlie have been babysitting was Wayne’s kid, taken as a favor to Tom for a little added incentive to shoot Vargas. 

Back at OPA, Quinn is bragging about Charlie’s keen parenting skills when Liv comes in and asks her and Huck to investigate a woman named Vanessa Moss, aka Jake’s girlfriend.

 In the Oval, Cyrus is finally introduced to Vargas and it’s clear that he has big plans. After all, he’s building a president. 

This episode was chalk full of drama and little twists! I’m very curious to find out more about Jake’s girlfriend. Honestly, and this might go against the grain here, but I wish everyone would stop sleeping with everyone else! I am NOT a fan of Lillian and Jake and Liv need to calm down! I really wish the show would go back to solving cases, at least for awhile. Final note: where the hell was Mellie? 

So, what did you think? Tell us in the comments!