Jake was seated comfortably, looking out through the tall windows off to his left, where he could see the rising Sun's glow through the trees. When the door behind him opened, he stood up and turned around, as was expected.

"Jake."

"Mr. President."

Fitz walked towards him, looking worried and confused. "Did something happen to Liv?"

"No, she's fine," said Jake.

"So why are you here then?"

"Because there's something important I want to talk to you about," said Jake. "Project Winchester, to be precise."

Fitz felt his whole body ice over. He immediately knew what Jake wanted. "Winchester," he repeated. After Olivia had chosen him, Fitz had been happy, but he hadn't rested easy either. He knew Jake would try to make one more stab, one last strike to tempt Olivia. To Fitz, Jake was like an injured predator that refused to acknowledge his defeat. "Well," he said, trying to sound calm. "I can't say I'm surprised that you're this desperate to resort to blackmail."

"I'm not desperate. Winchester was always my trump card and now I'm finally playing it," said Jake smugly.

"Or maybe," said Fitz, "you just can't force someone to love you, can you Jake?" He was not going to allow Jake to threaten him without firing back.

Jake's anger suddenly spiked to the surface, putting a crack in his calm veneer. "This can bring down all of you. It'll destroy your reputation and credibility. The American people are very fickle. Even in the most dire of circumstances, someone like Olivia Pope can easily repair your reputation and make them adore you again. But if they find out about Winchester, no matter what you say, or who you hire to defend you, people will never forgive you. Your family name will be permanently stained. People will remember you as a dark mark on our nation's history. But that doesn't have to happen, Mr. President. You know I'm reasonable. If I'm given what I want, I'll erase "Winchester" from my vocabulary."

Fitz knew Jake wasn't wrong. He crossed his arms and looked out the window. "And you want Liv."

"I do. And think about this, Mr. President. What do you think Liv would have to say about Project Winchester?"

"Get out."

Jake sighed and held up a finger. "I wouldn't' be so quick to dismiss me if I were you." He looked overwhelmingly confident then, which infuriated the President even more. "You see, right now I have easy access to the Attorney General."

Fitz's frown deepened. "Keep threatening me like this," he dared. "Keep it up and see what happens. See where you end up."

Jake shrugged. "I don't really care," he said honestly. "Without Liv, I have no purpose. I have no problem sacrificing myself to tear you down. I can blow the whole lid off Winchester whenever I want. And David Rosen will go after you with everything he has. You don't want that, do you?"

"Leave."

Jake paused, and then nodded cordially. "As you wish, Mr. President," he said, and led himself out.

Fitz was practically seething as he watched Jake leave, and then he hurried out of the Oval and over to his secretary. "I need to speak with Cyrus. Now!"

"There's no need to raise your voice, Mr. President, I'm right here," said Cyrus, who was standing calmly in the doorway.

Feeling immediate relief, Fitz let out a sigh. "Cyrus, thank God."

Cyrus followed Fitz back into the Oval and shut the door behind him. He patiently looked on as the President angrily paced around.

Fitz paused and glared at Cyrus. "Winchester, Cy. Jake's threatening me with Winchester. I want tighter surveillance at the DOJ," he demanded. "I want an undercover security detail assigned to David Rosen at all times. Jake Ballard—"

"Will be dealt with," finished Cyrus. "I'll take care of it."

Fitz turned away and looked out at the gardens through a window. "Winchester needs to stay buried, Cy."

"I know," said Cyrus, the wheels already turning in his head. "I'll get things moving."


Later that evening, Jake walked into the Justice Department and made his way to David's office. He had expected the place to be empty, but there were still a handful of DOJ employees milling around. Jake caught a few of them side-eyeing him and resisted the urge to smirk to himself. Security detail, he thought. The President worked fast.

He was walking up to David's door when one of the younger looking employees approached him.

"Excuse me, sir? Do you have an appointment?"

Jake stopped and politely smiled. "Yes, I do. I'm Eric Green. I know it's late but I have an urgent matter and Mr. Rosen agreed to meet with me tonight. I believe his secretary told me nine thirty."

The young man went over and checked David's schedule on the computer. "Eric Green at nine thirty," he confirmed. "Now I'll just need to see your ID and you'll be all set."

Resisting the urge to grin again, Jake calmly pulled out his wallet and handed over a driver's license.

The man gave it a cursory glance and handed it back. "Thank you Mr. Green. Here's your visitor's pass," he said, handing Jake a temporary badge. "Just make sure it's displayed above your waist at all times."

Jake smiled politely and clipped the badge to his shirt pocket. "Will do." He was glad he hacked his way into David's schedule earlier that day, after his discussion with the President. He knew Fitz would start keeping a closer eye on the DOJ. He went over to David's door and went inside.

David was slumped over on his desk, head resting on his crossed arms, and lightly snoring.

Jake shut the door with force, startling David awake.

"Holy–,"

"It's after nine," said Jake. "What are you still doing here?"

David rubbed his eyes and looked around. "I was sleeping. I didn't get any last night because of your sleep-yelling. And what are you doing here?"

Jake approached. "I came to get you. We're going to see Marvin. He called me an hour ago. He's got the file."

David got up and started packing up his briefcase. "Thank God."

"You were into that kiss last night," said Jake, and David froze. He closed his eyes and clutched at his briefcase. "I wasn't into it, Jake, and I don't really want to talk about this right now."

"You didn't expect that to happen, did you?" said Jake.

David looked down as he continued to pack up. "Where are we meeting Marvin?" he asked.

"You're lonely," Jake said. "I know what desperation is, and last night you were kissing me back like you were desperate for something." He moved in front of David and gripped his shoulders. "It felt good to be needed like that," he whispered, and David's eyes widened. "Olivia acts like she doesn't need me anymore and it kills me. But you… you need me right now, don't you?"

David tried to push Jake off. "I'm not talking about this."

"Don't yell," Jake said, knowing the security detail were right outside the door. He pulled a struggling David close. "Tell me you need me."

Jake was stronger than David, who tried and failed to extricate himself from Jake's hold. "Holy hell, will you get off?!"

"When's the last time Abby kissed you? Touched you?"

"Let me go," David said again, and this time he sounded weaker. "Please."

"You can't remember, can you?"

David stopped and went still. The anguished look on his face answered Jake's question.

"You can't remember," Jake said. "Because you didn't think your last time with her would be your last time. By then, you had been together for so long, you didn't take things in, you didn't savor your moments anymore. I know what that's like. You loved her so much and when she left, you tried not to think about her, because it hurt too much. But now you find you can't remember certain things." He leaned his forehead up against David's, and David tried to pull away.

"You want to remember but you can't," said Jake.

"Why?" David asked, his voice faltering. "Why are you saying this to me? Do you like reminding me of how miserable I am? Is this some sick thing that gets you off?! My God, Jake, just jet me go and leave me alone!" He kept trying to pull away but Jake wouldn't let him go.

"You're upset because I'm telling the truth," Jake said calmly, and David gritted his teeth and continued to struggle against Jake's hold. "Rosen, everything I just said I'm experiencing myself. I miss Liv like you miss Abby. Tell me if I'm wrong."

David stared past Jake's shoulder, refusing to make eye-contact.

"We need them," said Jake. "But they don't want us right now. And we both can't stand being alone. You hide it well, but you can't be alone. I saw that when I was watching you."

David slowly shook his head no.

"Tell me you need me," Jake coaxed. David refused to reply, so Jake kept talking. "It's okay to like the things I do to you," he said. "It doesn't make you disloyal to Abby in any way."

David swallowed hard and looked away. "Stop talking."

"You're not a good liar," said Jake. "I studied you, I know you. I know when you like something. I also know when you're scared. You're scared right now, but you're not scared of me. You're scared because you like this and you're afraid it'll hurt Abby if she ever finds out."

David tried to push away one more time before giving up. Jake was too strong. "Why do you care?" he asked quietly. "I'm doing what I agreed to do, isn't that enough? Why do you need to know if I like it or not?"

"Because that means I'm not the only one who's lonely right now." Jake sighed. "It means I can empathize with another human being, and for once I feel normal. You know me, Rosen. You know I'm not very good at being normal. So when something comes along that makes me feel normal, I'm not going to let it go." He looked at David with sympathy then. "Abby made you feel good, but now she isn't here."

Jake's gentleness was unnerving David. "Stop looking at me like that," he said. "I'm not like you at all."

"So you say," Jake said. "Look, I'm not Abby, and you're not Liv, but we can still have fun together. I don't know how long it'll take to get Liv back, but we can enjoy each other in the meantime," he promised. "I can do things that will make you forget how to spell Abby's name."

"Says the spider to the fly," said David weakly.

"It's not like that," said Jake softly. He leaned in and gently kissed David then. He felt David resist at first but then the other man tightly clutched at Jake's jacket and kissed him back.

When Jake pulled away, David softly gasped.

"Do you need me?" Jake asked.

"Don't make me say it," David begged.

Jake lightly kissed David again, and when he broke away he softly said, "Say it."

David's heart was racing, and he felt overheated. He hated himself for letting Jake have such an effect on him. When he finally looked up and made eye contact with Jake, he was hoping to see what he usually saw: The trained B6-13 killer. The Jake who wasn't hesitant about using physical force to get what he wanted. The Jake who, at best, was mildly civil to him on one of his better days. David knew seeing that person would give him the strength to tell Jake he didn't want or need him. But this time he didn't see a nightmare. He saw someone who understood him. Someone who wanted him.

"Stop hiding him," said David, frowning. "You're hiding him right now, I know you are. The Jake who threatens me. The Jake who hurts me. I don't see him right now, but I know he's there. You're just hiding him because you're trying to get me to do what you want."

"You know, Rosen, did you ever think that maybe he's not the one I've been hiding," said Jake. "I couldn't get missions done with Nice Jake. Nice Jake can't kill targets. Nice Jake had to stay locked up for a long time. But when I let him out, he's real. He's genuine. He won't hurt you." Jake rubbed his hand up and down David's side. "He just wants to have fun."

David felt an inner thrill course through him when Jake touched him like that, and he silently berated himself for it. He knew this was only temporary, and David couldn't predict what would happen in the future. He would be getting Leo's B6-13 file in a matter of hours, but he didn't know when Jake's plan to get Olivia back would be complete. His and Jake's arrangement could last for a few weeks or maybe just one more day. David knew Jake was scary, and he experienced firsthand some of the terrifying things he was capable of. But right then, Jake was making David want him very badly. He was being warm and nice, and it had been so long since he had been with someone like that. Someone who wanted him. "I need you, Jake," he whispered, even though he had a strong feeling he would regret those words later.

Jake gently pushed David against the wall. "Finally," he said murmured.

A polite knock at the door made the both of them pause. Jake quietly swore and let go of David so he could answer it.

As soon as he tugged at the handle, the door flew open, and David immediately backed away, hands in the air, looking terrified.

"Hey fellas," said Charlie, as he strode in, gun drawn. "Long time no see." Behind him, the security detail posing as DOJ employees were all laying on the floor.

Jake swiftly drew his own gun and aimed it at Charlie. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice cool and calm.

"Oh, nothing much," said Charlie, sounding chipper and friendly. "Just wanted to know if you heard from Marvin lately? Oh wait, you cant. Because he's dead."