Moment of Goodness: Fitz Pours His Heart Out to Olivia, Scandal “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” 

As far as I’m concerned, Scandal creator, Shonda Rhimes, can keep those Fitz and Olivia flashbacks coming. Because if I can’t get my Olitz fix in present day, I have to get them somewhere. And when the two were knee deep into a full blown affair, they were sizzling hot. “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” solidified things for me. They are one of the hottest couples in all of TV maybe even THE hottest couple currently on TV. Kara and I included them on our Too Much Chemistry list for a reason. In the latest episode, they gave us plenty of proof positive.

Part of me feels bad that I’m rooting for a couple that’s forbidden. He’s married and the POTUS. She isn’t the First Lady. But my angst and guilt quickly flies out the window when Fitz and Olivia are in the same room. In “Happy Birthday” there was the Oval Office scene that was off the charts in the sexy department. I can’t even. Then there was the moment over the Constitution when he let her touch the document. I’m sorry, but Fitz has some serious game.

And even though I’m still reeling from the reveal that Huck is the one to shoot the president (I’m waiting for the entire story before letting my brain register this event), my Moment of Goodness from the episode had to be when a flashback Fitz and Olivia met in the gardens of the White House. Olivia was troubled. The whole Mellie part of the equation hit her in the face when Fitz appeared at Olivia’s door at Camp David…with his wife in tow.

Olivia was understandably upset and compared their relationship to that of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. It all led to a conversation that turned into a declaration of love. Fitz let it all out telling Olivia in an anguished yet passionate style that he is as much in this relationship that she is. They belong to each other. They are in this thing equally. Here’s just some of that wonderfully emotional scene that has quickly become my favorite of the series:

Olivia: “I don’t have to drive you away. You’re married. You have children. You’re the leader of the free world. You are away. By definition, you’re away. You’re unavailable.”

Fitz: “So, this is about Mellie.”

Olivia: “No! This is…I smile at her and I take off my clothes for you. I wait for you. I watch for you. My whole life is you. I can’t breathe because I’m waiting for you. You own me. You control me. I belong to you…”

Fitz: “You own me! You control me. I belong to you. You think I don’t want to be a better man? You think that I don’t want to dedicate myself to my marriage? You don’t think I want to be honorable? To be the man you voted for? I love you. I’m in love with you. You’re the love of my life. My every feeling is controlled by the look on your face. I can’t breathe without you. I can’t sleep without you. I wait for you. I watch for you. I exist for you. If I could escape all of this and run away with you…there’s no Sally or Thomas here. You’re nobody’s victim, Liv. I belong to you. We’re in this together.”

I’m going to admit that I did not expect Fitz to come right back at Liv with such deep emotion. And I reacted to that emotion. I felt like I got hit with it and it left me stunned for a while. And then I actually teared up. Weird, right? Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn blew me away. They were great all episode. In this particular scene, they were simply stellar.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to endure another episode without Goldwyn’s presence. Those flashbacks were seamless. I love the way they were triggered. Olivia saw the pin and picked it up. Flashback. She smelled his Navy sweatshirt. Flashback. I’m just in awe of this couple. I know I’m gushing but I’m still on a high from everything that happened in “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.” Congrats on the season high ratings for what was one of my favorite episodes of 2012.

Other little moments I loved
-Olivia’s talking to Edison and then she spots the pin — and then Edison becomes a non-factor.
-In the Oval Office, Fitz grabs Olivia from behind. Sexiness ensued.
-Love the way Olivia ran the press conference. With authority.
-Fitz asks the secret service guy about the places around the White House where there aren’t any cameras.
-Fitz makes note of how Olivia paces when there’s something wrong. He knows her so well.

Fitz is the biggest Olitz (yes, I’m using their supercouple name) proponent out there. Check out some of his other lines from the episode
“You are my something special.”
“You are the most important person in my life. I can’t just stop. Can you?”
“We are together. That’s all that matters.”
“You’re playing the race card on the fact that I’m in love with you?”
“See, it used to sound sexy when you called me Mr. President. Now it just sounds like I’m a gym teacher.”

The mid-season finale for Scandal airs Thursday December 13 on ABC at 10/9c.