A heelless Abby runs into the beginning of Mellie and Fitz' interview, along with secret service, and makes up a lie that there's a suspected intruder in the White House to get Mellie and Fitz out before they continue to lie about their relationship on film while the world hears Liv admitting she's the President's mistress. When Mellie and Fitz discover Liv's confession, Mellie is visibly upset, and Fitz seems to be happy and relieved. Then Liv walks into the Oval Office, right before Abby tells Fitz and Mellie they have one hour to do the interview or the recording of them lying about their relationship will be used. Fitz and Abby declare they have to tell the truth. I'm surprised Mellie didn't slap Liv on her way out. But anyway...after Liv says they have other options, and Abby tells her they went over all of the options already (including trashing Liv, which Fitz refused to do)...they move forward with the decision to go with the truth. Abby leaves and the scene ends with Fitz and Liv exchanging a passionate kiss.
When Abby goes in to speak with Mellie, Cyrus comes in and announces he is Mellie's chief advisor and will handle negotiations. Yep...negotiations! And yes...Cy is back in the White House! He then sends Abby out of the office. He asks Mellie what she wants, and she basically says she wants to make Liv and Fitz' lives unbearable (something about their breath smelling of poison). But Cyrus tells her she can't use this opportunity like a human, she must use it like a warrior! So she changes it to she wants the presidency!
So Cyrus goes to negotiate with Elizabeth and Abby...correction he goes to give demands and then inform Elizabeth and Abby that he will not negotiate in Elizabeth's office or with Elizabeth. He will only negotiate with Abby. What are the demands? 1) Fitz becomes Mellie's "political bitch" on her campaign trail to presidency, 2) Fitz and Liv continue to be discreet about their relationship, and 3) Mellie must pre-approve all interactions Liv has with her children. And like pretty much all of the major decisions Fitz makes in this episode, he's stubborn until Liv tells him to do it. Liv also mentions that Cyrus is only negotiating with Abby to put Elizabeth in her place and to drive a wedge between Liv and Abby. The latter point really upset Abby and she stormed out with Liv chasing her. In Abby's office, Abby tells Liv the issue is not Cyrus, it is the fact the Liv lied to Abby's face about being with the President again. Abby told Liv it was ultimately because she was trying to protect herself and didn't trust that Abby could do her job.
Back at Liv's office, Quinn and Huck were trying to be gladiators (including Huck trying to make the entire Internet disappear), until Jake came in and said there's nothing for them to do. There wasn't any plan, Liv just told the truth. He then offered them some of his vodka. Later, Liv calls Jake and tells him she may have made a mistake. He offers to come to her, but she declines and asks him to simply have a drink for her.
Back in Abby's office, Cyrus has additional demands...6 campaign stops (Abby got him to come down to 6), the Santa Barbara home (despite it having been in Fitz' family for years), and that Liv could not take Fitz' last name (there will be only 1 Mrs. Grant, and this demand must be agreed to in writing). Once again, Liv basically tells Fitz to agree. While Abby tries to print out the agreement for Fitz to sign, Elizabeth notes the info she found in Cyrus' files about Liv's history with powerful D.C. men.
Later, when Cyrus returns the signed agreement to Mellie, Mellie is less than pleased. She goes so far as to tell Cyrus he's gotten soft and is not the monster Cyrus she used to know. She said everyone has changed. Cyrus agrees to see what he can do. But then he goes to Fitz and Liv and basically says Fitz should just go back to Mellie for the remaining 18 months, because Mellie is being Mellie and won't agree to anything. Liv then gets up to go "get air." Apparently she "gets air" in Fitz and Mellie's closet. To her surprise, though technically it shouldn't be, she finds Mellie in the closet. She is looking for her moonshine. Once she finds it, she actually offers Liv some and proceeds to tell Liv about how the responsibilities of being a First Lady is numbing (her "hooch" is what makes her feel alive) and she has to sacrifice everything for Fitz (noting Liv can't possibly think she could keep her company going while being the First Lady). It's funny Liv declined the drink, because just moments before when talking to Jake she mentioned needing a drink (see Mellie was right). And Mellie indeed got in Liv's head, because Liv then goes to Fitz and says he should take Mellie back for the remaining 18 months. When he tells her Mellie got to her and asks what Mellie said that is making her give up, Liv asks him what she's giving up...him...them...everything she's worked for...and asks him if he ever thinks about what she's giving up. I want to ask Liv why it took Mellie to get into her head what I feel Papa Pope has been saying?!!
Anyway, I guess that hit a nerve with Fitz, because he went to find Mellie and apologize for taking everything she gave him (love, support, unwavering belief) to become president and thanked her. Mellie asks if he thinks his apology is really enough for her to go lie for him in the interview, and she asks him what he has ever sacrificed for her. He responds by telling her he believes she will become the first woman president, that he does not have her will power, and that breaking up the team broke her trust. And yep...Mellie went for it.
Later, Abby walks in looking for Fitz, but finds Liv instead. Liv apologizes for lying and says in the past she would be doing what Abby is doing, but that she thinks Abby is very good at her job. And they have a little moment after Abby says she learned from the best.
Meanwhile, in the Oval Office, Cyrus attempts to make the most of his day in the White House by speaking to Fitz (who seems kinda oblivious to his presence). And yet, Cyrus goes on and on until he finally asks for his job back to finish what they started. Does Fitz finally look up to even acknowledge Cyrus? Why yes...he looks up at Cyrus and says, "You do not work here anymore." Cyrus just stands there waiting for more until Fitz looks back up and says, "You can go." Womp, womp...
But maybe Cyrus isn't as soft as Mellie thought. He went to Mellie, who was preparing to do the interview with Fitz, and basically tells her he's surprised Mellie is allowing Fitz to play her. He planted the perfect seed. Mellie has flashbacks to all she's sacrificed for Fitz (supporting him to get to the presidency, his affair with Liv, his father raping her, the death of their son). And right when they are outside of the room for the interview she stops and tells him, "You almost had me." Then she leaves with Cyrus.
Fitz, Elizabeth, and Abby go into the Oval Office, where Liv is, and Abby says the only thing to do is to let her fix it. And like all things, she has to get Liv to tell Fitz to let her go. After she and Elizabeth leaves, Liv tells Fitz they aren't going to the interview...they are going to the Briefing Room where Abby will throw Liv under the bus. Fitz stands up to go stop Abby, but Liv insists he sits down and watch Liv choose him. "You're All I Need" is playing in this scene, but is Fitz really all Liv needs? Is it really worth it?? Well we know Fitz has no problem letting women sacrifice everything for him. So he sure won't fight her on it. And in the Briefing Room, Abby proceeds to talk about Liv's reputation with powerful D.C. men.
Meanwhile, back at Liv's office, Jake walks in on Quinn and Huck watching the news. Quinn tells him the Louvre is burning and the news isn't even covering it because of the scandal. Jake goes to visit Papa Pope in prison, and Papa Pope guesses Liv needs his help based off what he's seen on the news. Jake says yes but that isn't why he's there. He's there about the Louvre being on fire. #LazarusOne #NeroFiddledWhileRomeBurned #PapaPopeIsBack