'Scandal' Recap: Olivia Pope Is America's Mistress

— -- On Thursday's episode of "Scandal," the White House was still dealing with leaked photos of President Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Pope canoodling.

"How the hell did this happen?" the president asked his chief of staff, Elizabeth North, and press secretary Abby Whelan.

But when Fitz wanted to wait to make a statement with Liv, Abby suggested "a game plan," especially because she was being berated in the Press Room by the media wondering exactly what was going on.

Meanwhile, to escape the frenzy, Liv went to Quinn's house. "I need to work," she told Quinn.

She eventually took the case of a woman, looking for her stepson Gavin, who was accused of killing his father, Walter. The client asked Liv, "Are you up to this? I've seen the news."

But Liv assured her she was up to the task and ended up finding Gavin in a casino states away.

Still, when people started to recognize Liv from the news, she and her ex-lover Jake Ballard, who had come to help her, ended up losing Gavin in the melee. Later, they found Gavin in the home he was building against his father's wishes and the reason why he pushed his father down the steps, killing him. Liv and Jake eventually turned Gavin over to the police.

Back at 1600 Penn, first lady Mellie Grant returned to the White House, asking Fitz for an apology for sending her divorce papers.

Still, Fitz was defiant because he believed she leaked the photos of him and Liv. And although Attorney General David Rosen discovered that the photos originated on the first lady's computer, he said there's no proof that she leaked the photos.

In talking to his ex-girlfriend Abby, she figured out that Liz leaked the photos. Abby confronted Liz and asked why: "You want to take down Olivia Pope?"

Liz never answered her, but she did ask Abby what she wanted in return for knowing her little secret. Abby said she just wanted them to be equals. Who knows if that's all Abby wants ... for now.

Later, when Fitz realized that Liv wasn't going to face the music with him, and that she was on the run with her ex-lover Jake, he turned to Mellie. He called her saying, "I apologize. Come home."

And she happily returned back to the White House. After all, she has a presidential run to think of.

And when Liv finally did return home, she was bombarded by media, who asked her, "Are you the president's mistress?"

"Yes," she replied, proudly.

Find out what fallout the White House will face next Thursday when "Scandal" returns to ABC at 9 p.m. ET.