News reports go back and forth about what happened to the president as he made his way into his 50^th birthday gala. Gunshots rang out. Fitz was hit. Chaos overtakes the plaza as Secret Service agents toss Fitz into the back of a car that speeds off to the hospital. Olivia meets Cyrus there. It’s bedlam inside. Mellie is freaking out. A doctor orders his president to stay alive. Olivia watches in horror as they wheel Fitz away to surgery.

Olivia hears from Edison via phone that he’s headed for the bunker along with the entire Cabinet. She hangs up on him suddenly when she sees a small, bloodied U.S. flag pin on the floor. There are only 48 stars on it. The pin belonged to Eisenhower. Olivia bought it at an auction. We flashback to see her give it to Fitz the day he won the election. They said they would stop their affair when he became president. This is easier said than done. The president skips out of the inaugural ball to meet Olivia inside the Oval Office where they give in to their passion once more.

In present day, we learn that the White House Press Secretary was also shot during the attack. Vice President Sally Langston orders her chopper pilot to land on the south lawn of the White House where she declares that she is in charge of the situation. Cyrus flips out on her. We jump back to the first days of the Grant presidency where Verna learns that Sally gets first dibs on nominating a new Supreme Court justice. This does not make her happy. She wants this problem fixed. Also in flashbacks, we see how Secret Service agent Hal clues in his president about the hidden cameras that are in his new office space.

In present day, Olivia takes control of all PR at the White House as her staff watches on TV wondering why she ever left that job in the first place. Flashbacks show Fitz and Olivia continuing to be together during those early days of his administration. They are the perfect team in the White House and in the bedroom. Olivia is shocked when Mellie shows up at her cabin with her husband at her side. Later, she lets Fitz know that he controls her. The president believes it’s the other way around. Olivia controls him. He passionately lets her know that she’s the love of his life. He exists only for her.