As Scandal Season 5 Episode 11 begins, Cyrus revisits everything he's been through in pursuit of both Fitz' Presidnecy and keeping him there. At OPA, Olivia reads through Mellie's manuscript. Instead of discussing her thoughts after Fitz was shot, Olivia wants Mellie to talk about why she stayed married to him after learning he had a mistress. 

While Mellie rumages for snacks, Marcus tries to get information about the Senator's background. Huck won't answer any of Marcus' questions. 

Liz wants Susan Ross to run for President. 93% of people believe she should consider running. Susan continues saying no.

Mellie continues dodging the question about why she stayed and Olivia eventually realizes Mellie can't give an answer because she doesn't have one. She doesn't know why she stayed. Olivia doesn't know, or won't say, why she left.

Cyrus and Abby sit down with a reporter who wants to interview the President. After the reporter's scathing takedown of the Vatican, Cyrus is less than enthused. He and Abby attempt to vet the reporter when they're interrupted by the President himself. The reporter, Lillian Forrester, comes on to Fitz.

After being pushed, Mellie eventually explodes on Olivia and then excuses herself from OPA, effectively deciding to sever their agreement to work together to get Mellie elected.

Liz visits David Rosen to enlist his help in convincing Susan Ross to run for President. He visits Susan at her office and asks her on a date. They end up at Gettysburger. 

Cyrus finds Fitz in the Oval and they discuss Ronald Reagan, Clinton, and how Fitz will miss being President when it's over. Fitz dismisses Cyrus' pleas to make the last year in office a good one worthy of being remembered.

Olivia gets a visit from Jake. Cyrus runs into Mellie in a bar and sits down with her to have a drink. He doesn't take it kindly when she claims credit for helping make Fitz into a President and Mellie visits Olivia at her apartment with a bottle of her daddy's hooch in her hand. After pouring her heart out about why she stayed, she shares the hooch with Olivia.

Inside Gettysburger, David and Susan's date continues. When he brings up a Presidential run, she balks, calling herself useless, unthreatening, and unelectable. As she's talking, he leans in to kiss her and then tells her she's a warrior.

Mellie and Olivia get drunk on hooch and discuss Olivia's merits as a mistress. Olivia tries to open up to Mellie about why she liked being the mistress instead of the girlfriend and says she left for the same reason Mellie stayed. She was scared. In their drunkenness, they hit upon the theme for Mellie's autobiography.

Cyrus stands over the body of a sleeping Fitz and wakes him just enough to tell him he's leaving to be with a family member who has just died. 

Lillian Forrester sits down to talk to Fitz about his Presidency but then confesses she has an enormous crush on him and can't be objective during the interview. Fitz decides to invite her to dinner instead.

Marcus confronts Huck about the treatment he's been receiving around the office and says he's not going anywhere. He eventually gets Huck to open up and Marcus tries to convince Huck to go see his son.

After a night of writing, Olivia and Mellie decide to go ahead and leak a piece of her book to the press. The writing is so powerful even Sally Langston is impressed. 

Cyrus didn't have a death in the family. He's found a new Presidential candidate.