Scandal Episode 3.08 Vermont Is for Lovers, Too

Maya wants to see Olivia before Rowan/Eli ships her off to another cell far, far away. She's been sitting in her current cell for over 20 years hiding in the bowels of the U.S. justice system. She wants this one thing before she's tossed away like the trash. She wants to see her daughter. Rowan lets her know that's not going to happen. Maya is devastated. She bites through her wrists causing blood to spurt everywhere. She keeps chewing until she finds an artery. A guard finds her passed out. The doctor lets Rowan know that she'll recover physically, but mentally may be another story.

Olivia knows they are close to finding out the truth behind Operation Remington after the murder of the security guard who was their link to Omar Dresdan. The team searches for video footage of the killer. They have no idea that she just stepped into their office carrying coffee for all. Charlie is in possession of a video showing Quinn killing the guard. He's pulling her strings now. Quinn runs into Jake while swiping security footage from a building near the murder scene. She lies about doing so for the team as she hands over the file. There an image that'll take a day or two to scrub. Once Huck does this, he should be able to see the killer's face.

Charlie lets Rowan know that Olivia's team is still barking up the Omar Dresdan tree. They are ice cold in their pursuit for the truth. Rowan wants him to do as he was told if Quinn gets caught as their spy. He then pulls out a file of news clippings. They are all of Olivia's accomplishments. He shows them to Maya when she awakens in her hospital bed. There are no photos. Maya doesn't believe Rowan was a very good parent to their daughter. She also lets him know that she didn't make cookies when Olivia was sad. No, she made popcorn. Rowan gets angry. He lets Maya know that she's to blame for all the lost time with her daughter.

Charlie barely flinches when Quinn pulls a gun on him. He lets her know that she'll never get a better handler than him. He likes her. He suggests that Quinn actually likes him, too. The scrubbing of the photo image comes up empty. Quinn is in the clear for the time being. She arrives home to find a photo of her at the crime scene on the floor. Huck actually was able to capture the image. He now needs to know who Quinn is working for. His toolbox of torture devices is open and ready to go.

Someone broke into Josie Marcus's place to swipe Candace's laptop. No jewelry was taken so this looks like a political hit. Abby tries to get David to sign off on raiding Reston's office, but there's no probable cause. That doesn't stop Candace from going on TV to let the world know that her sister/mother's opponent had the most to gain from the theft. Harrison reads her the riot act for going rogue. A short time later, the stolen laptop is booted up at Reston's campaign headquarters. Now David has probable cause for that raid. Candace is gloating for being the only one who called it. This is great news for Josie's campaign.

David learns that there wasn't anything on Candace's stolen laptop that would help an opponent's campaign. It was wiped clean the day before the burglary. Abby knows that Candace likely staged the entire crime. She relays this hunch to Harrison, who just happens to be sleeping with his fellow gladiator's prime suspect. Josie goes off on Candace for her actions. Olivia assures her this isn't over. She advises Josie to fire Candace. Instead, Josie claims that she staged the theft. She withdraws herself from the campaign. She just couldn't throw her daughter under the bus.

Cyrus sets up James on an interview assignment with Daniel Douglas. The plan is to get the vice president's hubby make a pass at his unsuspecting interviewer in order to blackmail Sally Langston into dropping her plans to run as an independent. Mellie drop hints that Cyrus and James have an open marriage. Daniel makes his move on James, who realizes this whole thing was a set up. Cyrus is waiting anxiously when his hubby returns home. James provides a little small talk before hopping into the shower. Moments later, Cyrus is sent photos by a guy he hired. They show James having sex with Daniel Douglas. This was not the plan at all.

The President wants to talk to Olivia about her father, but she's not answering the Fitz Phone. At least, not at first. When she finally does pick up it's only to tell Fitz to stop calling her. Then she smashes the Fitz Phone to bits. Jake lets her know that's not going to stop him from calling. He's right about that one. Fitz sends a chopper for Olivia, who takes a ride to Vermont once she realizes the president knows who her father is. After Olivia yells at him for a spell, Fitz lets her know that the house they are standing in is hers. Theirs. He had it built for the two of them. He could never be mayor there, but she could make jam.

Fitz wanted Olivia to see the place. He wanted her to see the dream. Olivia soaks this in before rushing into Fitz's arms and kissing him passionately. In Washington, Mellie wonders where her husband could possibly be. Nobody knows he's in the Green Mountain State rolling around on the floor naked with Olivia Pope. Of course, Mellie suspects the two of them are together somewhere. A call to Olivia's phone that receives no answer confirms her suspicions.

Fitz tells Olivia he loves her. He wanted her to hear it before he goes after her father. Olivia tells him to do what he has to do. She tells Fitz that he shouldn't sell the house. Not yet. When she arrives back at the office, Jake can tell that she's been with his old military pal. Mellie knows this, too. She suggests to Fitz that they try to get Olivia back onboard to run their campaign. Sounds like a plan. Elsewhere, Rowan sees that Maya has escaped from the hospital. She heads straight to her daughter. Olivia is paralyzed with shock when she turns to see her mother standing before her.