Scandal 'Baby Made A Mess' Recap, S4 E7: Jake Is Innocent

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With only two episodes left until this season's winter finale, in this week's episode of Scandal, the truth of who murdered the President's son is unraveling.

Last week, in a tense showdown of her undeniable love, Olivia told Fitz there was hope for their relationship, and now, this episode opens with Fitz pushing his luck.

He's calling Olivia every night, and when Olivia provokes him, he says, "Unless you want me to come over there and tuck you in."

With hope burning, Fitz is eager to see Olivia and rekindle the passionate affair they once had--but on one condition. "Is Jake being fed?" Olivia asks.

While Fitz relented to his love for Olivia, and for her sake, decided against having Jake killed, Fitz still ordered Jake to be transferred to a maximum security facility.

One that has been sued three times in the last ten years for inhumane treatment of prisoners, Olivia reminds Fitz.

Fitz doesn't take the bait, and firmly states, "Jake Ballard is no longer any of your concern." Olivia promptly ends her call with Fitz, but not before Melly hears Fitz's potent statement.

Meanwhile, Quinn goes to visit Mr.

Winslow, who claimed he was out of town on business the night his daughter disappeared.

Quinn called him out on his lie, stating that he had her killed because she was involved in a situation regarding Olivia Pope, and had photos of Olivia in her possession.

"What does this have to do with Olivia Pope?" she demands to know.
"You can't stop what's coming. I'm sorry, I can't help you," he said. He then put a gun to his head, and killed himself.

At the White House, Abby addresses the lewd and embarrassing behavior of one Senator McDonald, which have been widely publicized.

Cyrus informs her they have a candidate to replace McDonald: Charles Putney. Shockingly, as Abby goes to meet Putney, who Fitz has publicly endorsed for the Senate, it's her ex-husband.

Distraught, Abby called Olivia in a panic about running into Chip, the man who brutally beat her when she was married to him.

Olivia, in true badass fashion, takes on the challenge of fixing this and making sure Chip doesn't have a chance. Olivia spearheads Susan Ross' campaign trail, who is running against Chip for US Senator for Virginia.

Suddenly: a car bomb goes off near the US Embassy in West Angola. The President orders a deterrent to be sent in, and Cyrus is on edge.

He takes steps to Elizabeth North (Portia De Rossi) monitored closely. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is up to no good, paying Melly a visit and wanting to get her involved with shaping foreign policy.

Olivia is working on digging up dirt on Chip, and turns to David for a favor.

Olivia visits Tom Larsen--the President's former body guard, who was revealed to be an inside man, and is currently held in maximum security.

"I need you to tell me the truth about who ordered you to kill the President's son," Olivia asked, but Larsen refused to cooperate. He pressed Olivia with questions about her relationship with Fitz, and why she left him.

"He came to your apartment once after you left him," Larsen says to her. He describes a story about how Fitz visited Olivia's empty apartment, and he broke down in a painful, heartbroken misery.

"I could never protect him from you, Ms. Pope," Larsen says. Larsen told Olivia that Fitz tried to kill himself.

Olivia reminds Larsen he is a loose end, and her father will have him killed, but she can protect him, if he gives her an answer: "Jake Ballard."

Meanwhile, Olivia is working to revamp Susan Ross' image for the US Senate race, and is gaining ground. To Abby's dismay, she and Chip meet alone, and Chip intimidates her until... she pulls a gun on him.

"What are you doing?" he asks her. "I'm going to shoot you," she says. Chip backs away before finally turning around and leaving.

Abby immediately turns to Olivia and confesses what she did. In a fit, she says, "It felt really good," and wishes she shot him.

Olivia takes her gun away from her, and gives her advice to tell the public about her story, revealing who Chip truly is.

But Abby questions it. She talks about how she helped women like herself when she worked with Olivia, and asks, where are those women now? Olivia, shocked, is speechless.

Later that night, Fitz calls Olivia, and Olivia admits she visited Tom.

Olivia confronts Fitz about his suicide attempt after their break up, and after a moments silence, Fitz says, "I want to talk about what hope means." He demands Olivia come to the White House and prove that hope between them exists, but Olivia denies.

Fitz proceeds to seduce Olivia via the phone, and this time, he's the one who promptly hangs up.

Cyrus comes up short when it comes to dirt on Elizabeth and West Angola, and is happy to know that's the case.

Meanwhile, Olivia's father pays her a visit, and the pair have a verbal showdown. "Against me, you will lose," her father assures her.

As it turns out, Olivia strikes again, and Susan Ross comes out in the lead for the Senate race.

Abby admitted her abuse repercussions to her current fling, who made Charles Putney assault and battery public, giving Ross the chance to take the lead.

During a live interview, Melly followed Elizabeth's advice, and chimed in on foreign policy. "That's why I fully support my husband sending in the USS Roosevelt as a deterrent," she said, and Cyrus had an uncomfortable flashback.

Fitz confronts Melly, tells her she can't be chiming in about West Angola. During their argument, Melly answers Fitz's phone, and Olivia is calling him.

In a shocking turn of events, a prison guard stabs Tom Larsen--yet Larsen survives.

Olivia visits Larsen in the hospital, and Larsen admits that it was Olivia's father who called the order to murder Fitz's son, and reveals the taped confession to Fitz.

In the end, Fitz and Olivia come face to face with Jake.