'Scandal' Tweet-cap: Burning Down the House

Warning: This recap contains storyline and character spoilers for this week’s episode of Scandal.

Sometimes, the toughest negotiations happen with your own self. That’s what Olivia Pope learns in the aftermath of her decision to say “yes.” She might’ve leapt into the fray with that little, three-letter word, but is she truly prepared for all that it will bring? Is she ready to give up certain things — her privacy, her independence, maybe even her business — for love of the president?

Most of this week’s Scandal episode centers on a deal being made between Fitz and Mellie, about how they will deal with Liv’s truth bomb in the media. But really, it’s about the deal Liv has to make within herself. Does she want to fold, or is she going all in? Because there are no halfsies here; the stakes are too high.

Related: ‘Scandal’: Tony Goldwyn Says Olivia and Fitz are ‘Magic Together’ in Season 5

Really, both women in Fitz’s life are pulling all the levers and pushing all the buttons here. Mellie and Olivia have to decide what they want, how they want it, and what they’re willing to sacrifice. All Fitz can do is sit back and watch. Who run the world? Definitely these girls.

A rundown of this week’s episode, including our live tweets:

Yes, We Can

The “yes” heard ‘round the world reaches the White House, where Abby wakes up from shock and realizes she has to stop the interview that Fitz and Mellie are doing at that moment about the healthy state of their marriage.

She has to use the Secret Service and fake a threat to do it, but manages to stop the interview just a few minutes in.

When she debriefs the First Couple, they hardly believe it either. Fitz is elated, but Mellie is furious. What about this interview? What are they going to do about it? The reporter threatens to run with the footage he has of them lying about their marriage. Olivia arrives, and Fitz decrees that they will decide together. He will inform Mellie at a later time.

But when Abby goes to smooth things over with Mellie, she finds that a whole other can of worms has opened. Its name is Cyrus Beene and he’s Mellie’s advisor now!

Mellie declares that her top priority is a) making Olivia suffer, b) making Fitz suffer, and c) becoming the next president of the United States. Cyrus promises to make that happen.

Meanwhile, at OPA, Huck and Quinn are trying to do damage control on the Liv scandal, when Jake walks in and shuts them down. She didn’t ask them to do this. Instead, they drink! And make merry!

Back in the White House, Cyrus lays out Mellie’s demands to Lizzy Bear. “Politically, the president is her bitch,” he says with evident glee. He will campaign with her. He will fundraise for her. She will get the Santa Barbara house. Olivia will not move into the White House, marry Fitz, or interact with their children without Mellie’s express approval. Oh, and Cy refuses to negotiate further with Lizzy. He wants to talk to the president.

Fitz is outraged by these demands and refuses, but Liv counsels him to think about it. They need Mellie, and they need to let her feel like she’s won. There’s a reason for the saying “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” And the Devil hasn’t even met Mellie yet.

What a Girl Wants

Oh, that wily Cyrus. Not only is he trying to weasel his way back into the White House, he’s trying to drive a wedge between Olivia and Abby. Except that wedge is already firmly there. Abby is royally pissed that Liv lied to her and didn’t trust her enough to handle this situation.

Remorseful and beset on all sides, Olivia calls Jake, her friend-zoned therapist. “I think I made a mistake,” she says.

Jake offers to come get her. But Liv just shrugs it away. She’s OK. And anyway, he’s been partying with Huck and Quinn — he can’t drink and drive.

Elsewhere, Abby and Cyrus continue to bargain over the number of campaign appearances and other matters. Fitz is still upset about what Mellie’s demanding, but Liv encourages him to sign the deal. Print it up, she tells Abby.

And then, Mellie… well, she pulls a Mellie. She doesn’t want to sign the deal, even though she got everything she asked for. Cyrus reports this to Fitz, advising him to take Mellie back and put his relationship with Olivia on hold until his presidency is over.

Olivia, seeing the truth in this, runs off… right into Mellie’s closet where Mellie is looking for some hidden liquor.

This isn’t Smelly Mellie. This isn’t Fried Chicken Mellie. This is Angry Mellie, but the thing is — she has some good points. She notes how much of her own life she put on hold to support Fitz. She makes snarky comments about decorating the billion Christmas trees at the White House every year. She wonders if Liv will even be able to keep OPA running.

“I hope you know what you’re really fighting for,” Mellie says, taking a swig of hooch.

With these words in her mind, Liv goes back to Fitz and calls it. “It’s over,” she says. They can just wait for 18 months, NBD.

Fitz refuses to give up, or to let her give up. “On what? On you? On us? Or on everything I’ve worked for my entire life?” Olivia wonders. “Did you ever think about what I am giving up?”

By the look on Fitz’s face, the answer is no.

Later, he finds Mellie on the balcony, the site of so many of their heart-to-hearts. He thanks her, sincerely, for everything she did for him. He effectively used her for years to attain the presidency. His gratitude isn’t enough, though.

“What have you ever sacrificed for me, Fitz?” she asks, echoing Olivia’s question.

He takes her hands. He promises to help her do what no other woman has done (yet): to become president of the United States. Fitz will believe in her, just like Mellie believed in him for so many years.

Burn, Baby, Burn

And with that, the interview is back on! Lizzy rallies the war room. Olivia apologizes to Abby and admits she should’ve trusted her, because Abby is great at her job. “I learned all my moves from the best in the business,” Abby replies, a smile indicating her forgiveness.

Cyrus enters the Oval Office, a smug look on his face. He’s glad Fitz took his advice to reunite with Mellie. This will allow him to accomplish all the things they talked about for his presidency. Cyrus apologizes heartily for betraying Fitz, and asks for his job back. No, he begs.

Related: The ‘Scandal’ Stars Take Our Speed-Reading Challenge

But Fitz isn’t having it. He turns cold eyes on Cyrus. “You. Do. Not. Work. Here. Anymore,” Fitz spits out, then dismisses him.

Wounded and humiliated, Cyrus isn’t going to let this scandal die down quietly. No, instead, he goes to Mellie to poison the well. “Did you get everything you asked for? I don’t think you did,” he says, just before she’s supposed to do the joint interview with Fitz. “You got played.”

Suddenly, all the old affronts, grudges, and injuries that she experienced standing just behind Fitz come flooding back. Just as the two are supposed to start the interview, she turns back. “You almost had me,” she tells Fitz before running away.

Crisis! Now what? Fitz can’t do the interview alone. Abby pipes up; she knows what to do. Trust her. Olivia nods.

Abby goes to the press briefing room, and begins to paint Liv as a party girl who likes to hook up with high-profile men.

Fitz objects, but Olivia knows it has to happen. Sit down, she orders, after pouring a drink. “Watch me choose you,” she says.

And in a prison somewhere, Rowan shakes his head as he watches the news about his daughter and the president on television. No time to ruminate on it, as he’s got a visitor. Jake shows up and asks if he saw the other headline, the one nobody cares about because of Olitz: The Louvre is on fire. Rowan snaps to attention and murmurs something about “Lazarus.”

Maybe Olivia and Fitz’s affair isn’t the only thing about to shake things up on Scandal!

Scandal airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.