{Episode Prompt: Seven-Fifty-Two - E0219}

A/N: So sorry for the long-ass delay. Life happened...in a great and pleasant way. How wild was last week? I'm still kinda reeling. I'm pretty sure they're gonna kill Jake. I thought he was gonna die when Olivia seduced him, but by the end, when he was grabbing and throttling her, i was all but convinced. So, in preparation for a demise i feel lurking before the season concludes...here's some more of Jake before he went off and lost his mind, putting hands on Olivia!

Thanks for all the reviews and alerts and follows...really warms my heart. I hope this overdose goes some way to making up for the diet last week...

And this is super short...but fear not! I've got plenty for ya ;)


Fitz strides from Olivia's hospital-room, his face set in a stony gaze. He doesn't stop, doesn't catch Jake's gaze, merely marches past and asks in passing,

"What happened?"

The Officer is on alert, asking what Olivia said so-as to ensure they remain on script. He wonders what's going on – what else would they have been discussing in that room for all this time if not re-hashing the agreed-upon story. He tells the lie, the Spy flawless with the tale but remaining vague with the details. Fitz – anxious and antsy - directs him to find out who "attacked" her. Jake casts a look at Fitz retreating back, wondering how serious the President's relationship with Olivia is, then casting a look in the direction of her room, wondering how much more the Spy will have to do.

Hours later, still at the hospital, Jake walks in to the waiting room to give Fitz coffee, joking about his cream to sugar ratio. In his overture, the Spy "bumps" into Cyrus. Fitz introduces the two med, adding that Jake is a man of many talents. Cyrus knows a thing or two about him, after sending Charlie in to find out about him. Jake casts him an undecided nod in acknowledgement. He may not know everything about the President's Chief of Staff, but he his natural inclination is towards distrust.


He meets with Command, to update him on the Albatross situation and Olivia's role.

He asks if Olivia is to be used as bait. Command's reiteration that Albatross is the end-goal and everything else is secondary stuns him – although he knows better than to let that come through in either his facial expression or his tone. He lets out a sigh – a mixture of exasperation and apprehension. He sets his jaw, takes a depth breath and asks the unthinkable: he asks to be re-assigned. When Command asks if it's in reference to his relationship with the President, Jake sees no reason in further muddying the waters and correcting that mistake, but also, he isn't all that sure about what he feels for Ms Olivia Pope. Do they have a relationship? Is whatever he feels for her sufficient grounds for him to jeopardise this mission...his life by asking to be removed from this case? All he knows is that he is not okay with using Olivia as bait.

Command's ominous reminder that Jake remember who he is, who they are, what they do...that there are no outs for people like him, leaves him cold and entirely deflated.

He remembers, all too clearly, who is was and the people they were. But Olivia Pope...she changed something. Maybe not him as a person, maybe not his convictions. But just maybe, his brush with her reminded him that he could be different. Not normal exactly, not even conventionally happy, but maybe, "getting out" would be the only shot he had at that, at something different...