Scandal 2.08 Sneak Peek: Olivia Visits the ER

Olivia Pope has a steel nerve that has helped her become the leading political fixer in D.C. Very little can get her off her game and even when she does mess up, she’s talented enough to take care of it so that her client is protected at all times. However, on the next episode of Scandal, Olivia will be dealing with a tragedy that she might not be able to recover from immediately.

In going to Fitz’s birthday, Olivia figured that she’d have a fun time with Edison, get out of the house for an evening, and test her newfound desire to move on during an event centered on the man she loves (and can’t be with). Once Fitz was shot after exiting the limo, that all changed, as Olivia has to play a variety of roles in the aftermath, balancing her career with her personal connection to the President. But when she gets to the ER following the shooting, still clad in her gorgeous evening gown, Olivia can’t process everything that’s going on: the yelling, the constant motion, the grief, the blood, the idea that Fitz may die. Can Olivia Pope, Crisis Manager Extraordinaire find it within herself to do her job with Olivia Pope the woman and lover wanting to cower in the corner?

Elsewhere on Scandal, we’ll get a look at the beginning of the Grant presidency through a series of flashbacks a’la “The Trail,” which may fill in some of the blanks on the vote rigging and provide another look at how the victory affected the dynamic between Olivia and Fitz. We know that Olivia had a hand in securing the election and Fitz never found out about what happened, but did the result change how she interacted with him?

Scandal airs Thursdays at 10:00 on ABC.

Who do you think shot Fitz? How long will it take Olivia to get her wits about her and begin trying to figure out who pulled the trigger? Will Mellie and Cyrus end being assets to Olivia’s investigation or will they hinder more than they help?