According to Sally Langston, the leadership in Scandal’s America has a distinct, disgusting smell — and it’s becoming harder and harder to disagree.

Scandal 5×12 at first seemed like the sort of episode with many different storylines, all operating independently from one another. From baby-sitting to paternal approval to limo trysts, there was a lot to chew on. In the end, however, each piece connected to form a dark, foreshadowing picture.

The universe hates us both

There’s trouble in the work marriage bed as the President turns up the heat with Lillian Foster. Abby desperately tries to get him to understand why this is a complicated matter, using examples of stolen DNA and shifty eye contact. Fitz, whose only real concern is with himself and seemingly no longer running a country, obviously takes issue with her continuous interruptions and threatens her job. Thankfully, Abby doesn’t have time for that, and puts him in his place by letting him know that “his personal life is her professional one.” I said it before, and will say it again: in the midst of all the drama and intrigue, poor Abby is just doing her job trying to keep the free world functional.

Charlie’s gonna make an awesome dad

Definitely the winner for cutest scene of the night, Quinn takes a personal day to baby-sit a little boy with “Uncle” Charlie. A day at the playground, then bonding over Frozen, it’s no surprise Quinn is impressed with her boyfriend’s natural ability to connect. She seems almost to be glowing at the end as she shares with her coworkers just how great Charlie is. Everything is well in assassin/torturer/kidnapper-turned-beau land.

Just wanting what’s best for the kids

It’s hard to disagree when someone sings the praises of Olivia Pope, which may be why Papa Pope almost seemed likable when we first see him in the episode. Excited about her partnership with Mellie, and unafraid to show it, Rowan congratulates her and plays proud papa. This is, of course, short-lived, as he informs Olivia that Jake is seeing someone other than her. Upset, she deflects and pretends there are more important things to worry about, but when Huck later asks if she’s gathering any intel, she brushes him off. She does ask Jake, who deflects himself and assures her she shouldn’t worry about it. Huck is unimpressed, and he tells her that Jake isn’t the only one her father owns. Hurt and probably jealous, she rallies her information team and gives them an assignment: to dig into Jake’s new consort, Vanessa Moss.

Adorable

The runner-up for cutest scene, David and Susan finally enjoy one another’s adult company! Rejoice! Admittedly, it’s under Liz’s thumb, but in a fun parallel, the first time we see David shirtless in bed it’s with Liz as he receives a call from Susan and Liz makes him take it. The second time, he’s in the same position, but with Susan and Liz calling, and he takes it again, but only at the insistence of Susan. In between these two exploits, Liz informs him that their (her) plan is working, and wants to reward him at work. David protests, feeling a little guilty about the swinging back and forth. Not guilty enough to shut it down, but enough to let Susan stick around longer than perhaps Liz would like, judging by the stormy face she makes when she finds out.

Everyone loves a hero

Cyrus certainly has been busy since we last saw him creeping on an unknown Democrat. We find out this week that the man is Vargas, and that the reason we knew nothing about him is because… no one did. Cyrus, realizing this is no help to his campaign, spends the episode orchestrating an elaborate and risky plan to fix it. Using his resources, he co-opts a desperate man into attacking the Pennsylvania Capitol where Vargas is based. He nearly loses everything when snipers are called in and Vargas nearly gets shot; but in the end walks away a hero after “eliminating” the threat (who was playing Cyrus’s game the whole time). We find out that Charlie’s baby-sittee is in fact the desperate man’s son, a heartbreaking notion after Quinn’s excitement. Past that, Abby goes to Cyrus for advice on her situation, and he suggests distracting Fitz with a new national hero: his man Vargas, who he meets for the first time.

So many new elements this week! Call us crazy, but scheming Cyrus is the best Cyrus. Hopefully we get to see more of him working under the radar for Vargas next time! And, you know, maybe David will follow his heart instead of… anything else. And Olivia will find a way to win Jake back, or Fitz back, both apparently having moved on. But she should probably just stick with Mellie.

What do you hope to see on next week’s Scandal?