Ep 9. Baby, It's Cold Outside

In Scandal season 5 episode 9, entitled "Baby, It's Cold Outside," Olivia Pope returns to Washington, D.C. to attend the state dinner with President Fitz, who is hosting the Prime Minister of Portugal. However, she quickly becomes overwhelmed by the pressure of the event and her recent encounters with Jake Ballard.

Meanwhile, Abby Whelan takes over as the interim Chief of Staff for the White House and must navigate the politics of the job while dealing with her own personal issues. Huck and Quinn, who are still investigating the mysterious disappearance of Jennifer Fields, get a lead on her whereabouts but soon realize they may have walked into a trap.

Fitz and Mellie begin to plot their next move in their political war against each other, with both of them determined to win the support of the American people. Cyrus Beene, who is now unemployed and struggling to find his footing in the world outside of politics, reaches out to someone unexpected for help.

As the state dinner gets underway, tensions rise and secrets are revealed as Olivia deals with the fallout of her actions. The episode ends on a dramatic cliffhanger, leaving viewers eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the scandalous lives of these powerful and flawed characters.