#jake ballard

[dilfgifs]

SCOTT FOLEY Scandal 5.12 "Wild Card"

[darkshrimpemotions]

Okay I know he's also all kinds of red flags but choosing Fitz when Jake Ballard is right there is incomprehensible to me. They both suck but Fitz sucks in ways that are repulsive and Jake Ballard sucks in ways that are fun and sexy.

[cwritesforfun]

Heyyyy! I heard that u still make Jake ballard fanfics so could u make a Jake ballard x lawyer reader where the reader is also the daughter to the president or some big time politician/celebrity.

Jake n y/n 1st met yrs ago when was he assigned to be her bodyguard after she got her life threatened. After his job is done they still continue stick around each other n also has lots of chemistry that anyone can see so they start hooking up.

Jake fell in love over time n he confesses to her but because she’s self sabotaging when it comes to commitment n believes men who believe they’re in love mistakes that for lust so she broke it off with him. He’s heartbroken but he’s agrees to be just friends with her…….. just to be avoidant of her. she confronts him again n here comes the dramatic Shonda rhimes love confession scenes n it ends with her starting to question her feelings for him.

Fast forward s7 y/n moved n she got married but she she’s still in contact with everyone in dc (but Jake). He gets caught for crimes ( idk how he ended up in jail I just saw a spoiler on tt 😭). When she heard this she got RIGHT TO WORK but there was so much evidence on him n by the time she was finished analyzing the case (cuz she also had her own law firm to run) he was already in jail for life.

She’s devastated n she works EXTRA HARD n starts going against her morals. She’s starts planting fake evidence n connects them to closed cases of her own to make it look like he was framed n she sends this “evidence” all to his lawyer n they r able to get him out. At first he resisted but once his lawyer gave the “pen name” to who send them the info he decided to corporate just so he could see her.

But when he gets out he finds out she’s away n married so he decided to “keep tabs on her” n stalk her ever since. He’s finds out that she had a business trip to AZ so he follows her there. She spots him at a gala she was invited to n she’s GAGGED (but amused) She left early n he trailed her to her hotel n ends with a steamy smut (basically that olitz church scene 🫣).

She wakes up in the middle of the night n decides to try n confirm her 6 month long suspicion , she goes through his phone n finds his hotel info (it’s a few blocks away from hers) she goes to the hotel n takes the hotel key/card with her. Come to find out she was right abt him stalking her cuz of the cams he installed in her home, work, n the other typical places she visits. He comes in n tries to explain himself but she lets it be known she basically knew the whole time. He pours out his heart to her n she actually confesses to him n then they make luvvvvvv. N elope the next day or sum.

I know this is suuuuuper long so ur free to make a mini series or cut it half short n make it a one shot if u like 💜

Jake Ballard x Lawyer!Fem!Reader: The Bodyguard and the Almost Love - Part One: (Request)

This will be broken into two parts. Thank you for the ideas and inspiration!!!

Sorry if this is formatted really weird - I edited on my phone and then my laptop and then phone again.

Y/N = Your Name

Will link part two here when posted!

*I do not own the Scandal plot or characters ** I DO CHANGE THE PLOT **

Y/N's POV

Having a father who was a Foreign Service Officer for the UK meant your whole life was scrutinized and could be used against him. You couldn't be who you wanted to be, no parties, only one alcoholic drink allowed in public, and no kissing random men. Frankly, you didn't know if you were missing out, but the people on the internet made it seem like you were.

My father has stood against the views of the most of UK and that means that we’re receiving threats. At first, we didn’t think anything of them. Then, we kept finding things on our doorstep and in our mail. It was terrifying. So my dad did what any person of power does, he hired a security detail. My family sits through a series of interviews to discuss what we are looking for in security and then we get the chance to interview several potential candidates. Some creep me out, so I mark them as “no” immediately. My father agrees with my top choice, named Jake, he seems strong, warm, and very stoic. It’s what you need. Someone who can be serious, but also can be someone you trust.

You’re currently sitting waiting for class to start in the halls of your prestigious law school. People used to swarm you wanting to be your friend before Jake. And now that you have security, no one wants to approach you.

You exclaim, “You don’t have to watch me like a hawk, you know?”

Jake answers, “That’s literally my job.”

You ask, “Yeah, but do you have to be good at it? I mean, this school literally requires badges and security checks to get inside.”

He replies, “Ugh, I can stand a few feet farther back if that helps your ego.”

You reply, “It might. I might actually make a friend if you’re further back.”

He replies, “Not an option, sorry.”

Weeks go by. The threat fades away, but Jake doesn’t. You got used to him by your side. You learned so much about him and you didn’t mind if his hand ever caught yours. You were sad when your dad told you that Jake would no longer be needed.

Luckily he stuck around … you invited him to dinner with several friends and his fingers traced your thigh for most of the dinner. You invite him to drinks with a lot of your friends and he buys you a round. He runs into you in line while you order coffees at your favorite cafe near school. You told yourself you didn’t need him, but you don’t tell him to leave either.

Jake smiles with the takeout bag in hand as you answer the door saying, “You know, people don’t usually call their ex-bodyguard at 2 AM unless they’re in trouble.”

You wink and reply, “Or unless they’re bored and hungry.”

He smiles and you say, “Maybe I was just networking, too.”

He asks, “Networking? With your ex-bodyguard?”

You answer, “Hey, you could run a security firm one day. Think of this as an investment for our futures.”

He laughs and replies, “I’m so sure.”

You both sit on your couch talking and then you kiss. It happens suddenly. But when it does, it’s soft and it feels easy. Like something that is meant to be. And that frightens you.

Everyone noticed. How could they not? You brought Jake everywhere. Your father made a joke that you still had “your shadow.” You thought he would be mad, but he wasn’t. It was weird.

But neither of you officially asked the other out.

Until …

3 months later, you’re sitting watching a show with Jake in your living room and he says, “This isn’t nothing, you know.”

You throw another popcorn kernel in your mouth and reply, “Oh this show. It’s terrible.”

You then see he’s looking at you and he says, “I was talking about us.”

Us.

The two letters. Neither of you used them.

You say, “Jake, don’t…”

Jake interrupts you by saying, “I’m in love with you.”

You let out a shaky breath and you say, “No, you think it’s me. That’s what happens when men want something. You just convinced yourself it’s love. But it’s not! You’ll wake up one day and realize it was just adrenaline. Just a phase.”

He softly replies, “If that’s what you need to believe to run, fine… it’s not just lust or adrenaline for me. You’re it for me. And, I won’t stop loving you just because you can’t handle it.”

He stands up, takes his bag, and leaves.

You take a deep breath and start to cry.

Continued soon

… thanks for reading

[pennypincher-03]

HOME  

PAIRING: Jake Ballard x OC  

Synopsis: Jake Ballard doesn't do peace. But when he meets Ophelia Pope-Olivia's softer, grounded sister-beneath a magnolia tree on the White House lawn, everything shifts. She teaches him to be human again. To feel. To breathe. For the first time in his life, Jake has something real. The problem? He's been keeping a secret. A history with Olivia that he swears is over. When the truth comes out, Ophelia's trust shatters. Now Jake has to choose: keep being Command, or risk vulnerability for the one woman who made him feel like home. 

The lawn at the White House was one of the few places Jake Ballard could breathe. Away from B613 handlers, away from Fitz's constant demands, away from the mess that was Olivia Pope.   

He was walking the perimeter when he saw her.  

She was sitting beneath the magnolia tree - of course it was a magnolia tree - with a leather journal open on her lap. Her coconut shell colored skin glowed in the afternoon light, and there was something about the way she was concentrating, pen poised, that made him stop in his tracks. She looked like Olivia. Same bone structure, same sharp features. But darker. Softer somehow. More at peace.  

Jake didn't believe in peace. Peace was for people who didn't know what was coming.  

But looking at her, he wanted to.  

"You know you're trespassing," he said, his voice low and careful.  

She looked up, completely unfazed. Her eyes were calm, observant. Teacher eyes.  

"I'm a guest," Ophelia replied simply, tilting her head slightly. "Olivia invited me to stay for the week."  

Jake's stomach dropped. Olivia had a sister. And she was sitting under a tree looking like she'd never told a lie in her life.  

"Ophelia Pope?"  

"That's me."  

"What are you writing?" Jake asked, taking a slow step closer. He was used to the women in this city drafting hit pieces or plotting their next move.  

Ophelia didn't close the journal. She just turned it slightly so he could see. "I'm not writing. I'm drawing."  

Jake looked down. It wasn't words at all, just a stunningly detailed sketch of the White House lawn, capturing the exact way the light was hitting the magnolia tree.  

"You're an artist," he noted, the edge in his voice softening without him meaning it to.  

"An art teacher, actually," she corrected gently, her tone warm and patient. "Drawing helps me process things. The world is loud enough, so I try to keep my paper quiet."  

Jake stared at her. She didn't have her guard up. She wasn't trying to manage him. She was just existing, processing her emotions in real-time instead of bottling them up into a ticking time bomb. It was the most dangerous thing he had ever seen.  

Jake studied her, his eyes tracing the soft curve of her jaw and the relaxed drop of her shoulders. She was completely unguarded.  

"Why teaching?" he asked, genuinely curious now. "Your sister runs Washington. You could have any job in this city."  

Ophelia offered a small, knowing smile. "Olivia likes to fix the world from the top down. I prefer the ground up. Kids… they can actually change the world if you just love them without limits. Give them a safe place so they can be whatever they want to be." She looked back down at her sketch, her voice dropping a fraction. "You never really know what they go home to. Sometimes a classroom is the only peace they get."  

Jake felt something tight in his chest twist. He knew exactly what it was like to go home to a place that wasn't safe. He realized then that her calmness wasn't just a personality trait-it was a survival skill she was now passing on to others.  

He finally stepped entirely out of the shadows of the magnolia tree, extending a hand. "Jake. By the way. Jake Ballard."  

Ophelia placed her pen down and took his hand. Her grip was firm and her skin was warm. "Nice to meet you, Jake Ballard."  

Jake sat down beside her on the grass, close enough that their shoulders almost touched. He wasn't thinking about B613 or Fitz or any of the chaos waiting for him inside. He was just watching her.  

She told him about her students, about a kid who couldn't draw until she showed him how to see the world differently. Her hazel eyes lit up when she talked, and Jake found himself completely mesmerized by the way they changed color in the twilight. Gold and green and something else entirely.  

Then she laughed at something he said - something stupid about spy work being nothing like teaching - and he felt his chest stop. Her laugh wasn't sharp like Olivia's. It was bright. Genuine. The kind of laugh that made you want to do anything just to hear it again.  

When she laughed, the tiny crinkles by her eyes deepened, and Jake - trained to notice every detail, every tell, every lie - noticed everything about that moment. The way her whole face softened. The way her body relaxed into the grass. The way she was completely, utterly present with him.  

He'd spent his entire life reading people. Predicting moves. Staying three steps ahead. But Ophelia Pope was unreadable in the best way - she wasn't hiding anything. She was just being.  

"What?" she asked, catching him staring.  

"Nothing," Jake said quietly. "You just… you have a really pretty smile."  

She blushed, actually blushed, and looked away. And Jake realized he was absolutely, completely, irreversibly hooked.  

Three weeks later, Jake couldn't remember what life looked like before Ophelia Pope.  

They met in corners of the White House when she visited. In parked cars outside teaching conferences. In empty museums at midnight where she'd sketch and he'd just watch her work. He'd never done anything like this before - the quiet intimacy, the actual presence. With Olivia it was always strategy. With Ophelia, it was just… existing.  

She was teaching him how to be human.  

One evening, Fitz called him into the Oval. "Cyrus mentioned Olivia's been happier lately. Said she's been less in the office. You know anything about that?"  

Jake kept his face blank. "No idea, sir."  

"Huh. She said something about her sister visiting from North Carolina. Said she's staying another month." Fitz shrugged, clearly not interested. "Just wondered if you'd seen her around."  

Jake's stomach dropped. He hadn't asked Ophelia how long she was staying. He'd been too busy falling.  

Later that night, he held her in her Georgetown hotel room and asked, "How much longer are you here?"  

"I'm thinking about staying," Ophelia said quietly, her head on his chest. "I got offered a position at a private school in DC. Better pay, more resources for the kids."  

Jake exhaled. She was staying. She was choosing DC. She was choosing him, even if she didn't fully know what she was choosing yet.  

you're so right, we need to show how they went from secret hotel dates to her actually being in his personal space. jake is super private, so letting her into his apartment is a massive step for him. here is the bridged version:  

Once Ophelia made the decision to stay in DC, the sterile walls of her hotel room started feeling too small. Jake hadn't planned on bringing her back to his apartment. His life was too messy, his world too dangerous to let anyone inside. But one Tuesday evening, after she casually mentioned missing the comfort of a real kitchen, he found himself handing her his spare key without a second thought.  

That was how Jake's kitchen, usually strictly reserved for beer and takeout boxes, got completely taken over.  

She was chopping vegetables at his counter, insisting he needed a real home-cooked meal. Jake sat at the island, just watching her. No one had ever catered to him simply because they wanted to. He was used to transactions and power plays. But the way she hummed while she cooked, completely at ease in his space, made his chest ache in a way he wasn't used to.  

oh that makes the guilt so much heavier. her calling olivia her best friend makes his lie feel so much more like a betrayal, which forces him to actually be vulnerable to compensate for the guilt. here is the revised scene:  

Later, sitting on the living room floor with empty plates, Jake leaned back against the couch. "You talk about your students a lot," he noted, "but you never really talk about your family. Besides the fact that Olivia invited you here."  

Ophelia smiled softly, tracing the rim of her glass. "Liv and I are opposites, but she's my best friend. We're incredibly close. Honestly, we kind of had to be to survive our family together."  

A cold, sickening knot formed in Jake's stomach. He was sitting in his apartment, falling for this woman, all while hiding the fact that he was deeply entangled with her sister. He suddenly felt like he was tainting the only pure thing he'd touched in years.  

"My dad was a good dad," she murmured, pulling her knees to her chest. "But he had a horrible temper. You never really knew what would set it off."  

Jake's jaw tightened. He knew Rowan's temper better than anyone, but the sickening guilt of his secret made him feel the need to offer her something real in return.  

"My dad wasn't a good dad," Jake said quietly, his voice rough. He stared down at his hands, hands that had done terrible things. "He just had the temper. I spent my whole life trying not to become him… and most days, I feel like I failed."  

Ophelia didn't pull away or look at him with pity. She just reached out, her warm hand covering his cold one. "You're not him, Jake." She looked toward the window as a low rumble of thunder rattled the glass. "That is why I love the rain. It washes everything clean. I've always wanted to just dance in it. Without caring who sees."  

Jake looked at her, desperate to be the man she thought he was. He stood up and offered his hand. "Come on."  

He pulled her out onto the small balcony and into the pouring rain. She laughed, that bright, genuine sound that stopped his world, and spun around. Jake caught her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. The rain was soaking his shirt, but all he felt was the warmth of her hazel eyes looking up at him. He leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't rushed. It wasn't strategic. It was the most real thing he had ever felt. Full of passion.   

The rain kiss turned into something deeper. Jake carried her back inside, soaking wet and laughing, and laid her down gently on his bed like she was something sacred. They moved slowly, learning each other's bodies the way they'd been learning each other's hearts. Ophelia's hands traced the scars on his chest, and for once, Jake didn't feel like a weapon. He felt human.  

Afterward, they stayed tangled in the sheets, her head resting on his chest, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her shoulder.  

"Favorite food?" she asked softly, breaking the comfortable silence.  

"Burgers," Jake said with a half-smile. "Before you, that was all I knew. Now? Whatever you cook."  

She laughed. "Mine is anything my grandma used to make. Soul food. Collard greens, cornbread, the works."  

"Favorite flower?" he asked, tucking a curl behind her ear.  

"Snowdrops. They bloom in the winter when nothing else will. Yours?"  

Jake thought for a moment. "Gardenias. My mom had them in the yard before everything fell apart."  

Ophelia smiled, filing that away. They kept going - favorite activities, colors, childhood dreams. Then Jake asked casually, almost too casually, "If you were gonna get a ring, what cut would you want?"  

"Hmm. Probably emerald or oval. Something classic but different." She looked up at him, completely oblivious to the weight of the question. "Why?"  

"Just curious," Jake said, kissing her forehead. But inside, he was already planning. This woman was his. No one - not B613, not Fitz, not even Olivia - would take her from him.  

The next morning, Ophelia was still asleep when Jake heard the aggressive knock on his door. He pulled on sweatpants and opened it to find Olivia Pope standing there, arms crossed, eyes blazing.  

"We need to talk," Liv said, pushing past him into the apartment.  

Jake's heart dropped. "Liv, this isn't a good time-"  

"I don't care," she snapped, pacing his living room. "You've been dodging my calls. Fitz is losing his mind, and I need you to-"  

She stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes landed on the second wine glass on the coffee table. The women's jacket draped over the chair. The sound of movement from the bedroom.  

Liv's face went cold. "You have someone here."  

Before Jake could respond, Ophelia appeared in the doorway wearing one of his shirts, rubbing sleep from her eyes.  

"Jake, who's-" She froze when she saw her sister.  

The silence was deafening. Olivia's mouth fell open, her entire body going rigid as her brain caught up to what she was seeing.  

"Ophelia?" Liv's voice was barely a whisper.  

Ophelia's face flushed. "Liv, I-"  

"Are you SERIOUS right now?" Olivia's voice rose, her signature explosive energy filling the room. "Jake? JAKE BALLARD?"  

Ophelia looked between them, her face flushed with embarrassment. She was used to Olivia's dramatics, and standing half-naked in Jake's shirt while her sister had a meltdown was not on her morning agenda.  

"I'm just gonna go back to bed," Ophelia said flatly, turning on her heel. "Talk to you later, Liv."  

She disappeared into the bedroom and shut the door firmly behind her.  

The silence that followed was lethal. Olivia turned on Jake, her eyes wild with disbelief and something that looked dangerously close to jealousy.  

"What the hell are you doing with my sister?" Liv hissed.  

"I'm in love with her," Jake said simply, his voice steady and firm. "You and I haven't been a thing for a long time, Liv. The last time we slept together was months before I even met her. I'm not cheating on you. There's nothing to choose because it's her. It'll always be her."  

"Are you serious right now?" Olivia snapped, her voice rising. "You're in love with her? Jake, you don't do love. You do missions and orders and-"  

"I do love," Jake interrupted, his jaw tight. "With her, I do."  

Olivia's face twisted, somewhere between anger and something she wouldn't admit. "This is insane. She's my baby sister, Jake. She's not built for your world. She doesn't know what you are, what you've done-"  

"And she doesn't need to," Jake shot back. "Because I'm not that person when I'm with her. Don't show up to our home unannounced again. And don't try to get into her head with your mind games, Olivia. I know how you operate. She's not one of your gladiators. Leave her alone."  

Liv stared at him for a long moment, her jaw tight. Then she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.  

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath before slamming the door behind her.  

An hour later, Ophelia's phone buzzed on the nightstand.  

Liv: Lunch at Founding Farmers. 1 PM. We need to talk.  

Ophelia stared at the text, her stomach sinking. She knew that tone. This wasn't going to be a casual sister lunch. 

Thank you for reading HOME. I hope you enjoyed this story and connected with Jake and Ophelia's journey. Your support means everything to me 

XOXO Pennypincher-03 

[sammie-speaksxx]

Say Yes to Heaven

Jake Ballard x oc (Ebony)

Summary: Ebony pope is an gladiator who was also part of b613. She is also the sister to Olivia pope and best friend to the president of the United States. What happens when a certain father comes back with a certain soldier? What happens when a certain sister finds out about her double life?

Prologue

The room is dimly lit, a single, bare lightbulb hangs from the ceiling, casting a harsh light the scene below. Various instruments of torture are laid out on a nearby table. The man's muffled cries echo through the basement. "I hate to do this really but can't disobey the big boss here" Ebony says standing over the man tied to a chair, his face bloodied and bruised. She then picks up a pair of pliers, turning them over in her hand, considering her next move. Suddenly, her phone buzzes on the table. She glances at the screen: favorite pope.

"Hold that thought." Ebony says as she then puts cloth in his mouth before wiping her hands on a rag and picks up the phone, her voice shifting instantly to a casual, almost cheerful tone. She steps away from the man, answering the phone with a perfectly calm tone. "Hey sis" Ebony greets with a smile as blood stains her face. On the other end of the phone Olivia is is curled up on her couch, a glass of wine in hand. The flickering light from the TV casts eerie shadows across her face. She can hear faint screams in the background of Ebony's call. "Hey, Ebony. What's all that noise?" Olivia asks in confusion as Ebony turn and glares at the man, who is whimpering softly, trying to hold back his cries."Oh I'm just Watching a scary movie. You know me, always up for a little horror." Ebony says chuckling, the sound chilling in the dimly lit room. "You okay? You sound... off." Olivia asks furrowing her eyebrows in concern as Ebony rolls her eyes, turning her back on the captive as she walks a few steps away, keeping her voice light.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Liv. Just unwinding a bit. What's up with you?" Ebony's voice was casual, almost too casual.

On the other end, Olivia frowned slightly, sensing something was off but unable to place it. "Not much. I just need someone to talk to." Ebony's eyes flicked back to the man, his body shaking violently in his restraints. She tightened her grip on the phone, maintaining her calm facade. "Anything you need to talk about?" she asked, her expression emotionless. "Huck received a letter," Olivia revealed. "It was some secret code with names from B613 on it." Ebony's eyes widened slightly, though not in surprise. "Oh..." she hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"Seriously? 'Oh'?" Olivia's frustration was palpable. "They are after Huck. I need help. I need you." Ebony rolled her eyes, exasperated, before sighing deeply. "Okay, I'll be there first thing in the morning. OPA headquarters, yada yada yada." Ebony says as Olivia nods, a temporary relief washing over her. "I appreciate it. Really." Olivia says as ebony rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, sure..." Ebony says, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the man. "Look, I gotta go. The best part's coming up." A smirk crept onto her face, a hint of menace in her voice. "Alright. Don't stay up too late watching those scary movies. They're not good for your sleep," Olivia says, trying to lighten the mood. Ebony allowed herself a small, genuine smile. "Will do. Bye, Liv."

She ends the call, her calm demeanor never faltering. Setting the phone down, she turned back to the man in the chair, her face hardening once more. The tools of her trade lay spread out on a nearby table, gleaming under the harsh light. Ebony picks up a scalpel, the cold steel glinting.

"Now, where were we?" she murmurs, stepping closer. She picks up a scalpel, the cold steel glinting in the harsh light. The man's eyes widen in terror as she approaches, her movements precise. Ebony's expression remains cold and focused, the ruthless efficiency of her movements a stark contrast to the casual conversation she'd just had. The man's screams echo in the darkness.

...

Sunlight streams through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the stylish, minimalist room. Ebony stirs awake, her eyes fluttering open. She reaches for her phone on the nightstand and squints as the screen comes into focus. A text from her sister reads: "Come to headquarters now." Ebony sits up, stretches briefly, and swings her legs over the side of the bed.

The sound of running water fills the room as Ebony steps into the modern shower. The warm water cascades over her, washing away the remnants of the previous night. After her shower, she wraps herself in a plush towel, her damp skin glistening. She moves to the mirror, gazing at her reflection with a calm yet determined look. Her thick, coily hair is damp, and she grabs a wide-tooth comb, beginning the careful process of detangling her hair. She divides it into sections, working through each part slowly, making sure to smooth out any knots.

Next, she reaches for her favorite styling cream, which helps define her natural curls. She works it through her hair, section by section, taking her time to shape each curl. Her fingers move rhythmically, twisting small sections here and there to create a uniform pattern.

Ebony picks up her blow dryer and attaches the diffuser. She turns it on, letting the gentle heat and airflow dry her hair without disturbing her curls. She leans forward slightly, allowing her curls to fall naturally as she dries them, scrunching sections to add volume. Once her hair is dry, she takes a small amount of oil, rubs it between her palms, and smooths it over her hair. The oil adds a final touch of shine and softness, sealing in moisture and giving her curls a healthy, vibrant look. Satisfied with the result, she smiles at her reflection.

She then goes to her closet, running her fingers over the fabrics until she picks out her outfit for the day. Grabbing her keys and a sleek leather bag from the counter, she takes one last look in the mirror and smiles to herself. Time to be a gladiator...not in a suit, though—that's Harrison's thing.

Ebony steps out of her car and walks into a busy café. The barista greets her with a smile. "Morning, Ebony. The usual?"

"Yes, please," Ebony replies with a grin as the barista hands her a coffee and a chocolate-covered donut.

...

"Alright, I'm here. What's going on?" Ebony asks as she steps into the room, instantly drawing everyone's attention. "We're gathering all the spies," Olivia explains, nodding toward the group seated in the main room. The spies mentioned in the letter sit silently, eyeing each other with suspicion. "That woman over there is Maggie Andrews," Huck says, pointing subtly at a sharp-eyed woman. "She lives in Atlanta with her tax attorney husband and their three little girls."

"Why do they call her Wink?" Quinn asks, leaning forward, curiosity in her voice. "She was a sniper," Ebony chimes in, her tone casual. A few people turn to look at her. She shrugs. "What? I do my homework on people." She says as Huck nods in agreement, a small smile tugging at his lips. "She's right. Every time I saw her, one eye was always closed. Perfect for sniping." He says in agreement.

"Tell me about the guy she's talking to," Olivia says, shifting her focus to another person in the room. "That's Paul Gray," Huck replies, pointing discreetly. "In the '90s, he spoke 17 languages and knew how to kill a man in just as many ways." "And now he's a professor?" Harrison asks, raising an eyebrow. "Upstate New York," Huck confirms with a smirk. "Divorced. Probably because he couldn't keep his hands off his students."

Ebony wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Gross," she mutters, loud enough for the others to hear. "And the guy with the prescription pad in his pocket?" Olivia asks, focusing on another figure. "That's Melvin Feen," Huck says, his tone dropping a notch. "He could stay awake for days, but that wasn't even his real skill." Quinn tilts her head, intrigued. "What was his real skill?" Huck's expression darkens. "He knew exactly how much pain someone could handle before it killed them."

Ebony crosses her arms and nods slowly. "That's B613 for you," she says quietly, her gaze lingering on the ex-members with a mix of caution and understanding. "Sounds like a real charmer," Abby says with a sarcastic smile, lightening the mood just a little as a few uneasy chuckles ripple through the group. "And then there's Betsy Ray. Matches. Betsy owns a B&B in Vermont now, but back when we worked together..." Huck pauses, looking at the older woman. "Let me guess. She lit things on fire," Abby says, finishing his thought. "Didn't matter what it was—she could always make it look like an accident," Huck replies as they all glance at the seemingly harmless old lady. "And who's left?" Olivia asks, looking around.

"Charlie. I don't know what he's been up to lately, but he was the guy they called when someone needed to disappear," Huck says just as Charlie walks through the door. "Hey," Charlie greets casually, nodding at Huck, who nods back. Then, Charlie turns to Ebony and, instead of speaking, gives her a simple nod. Ebony nods back in silent acknowledgment.

"There was one last name that was mentioned on the paper who I dont even recognize" Huck admits making Olivia to turn to him in confusion. "Who?" She asks.

"Shadow"

[chaoticmuns0ns]

feral over him

[half-in-half-out]

That Olivia Loved Jake

The idea that Olivia didn’t love Jake because she never said the words is such a remarkably simple take on such a complex character that it's astounding. I’ve never been so frustrated with part of a fandom for on-the-whole missing something blatantly obvious just because it wasn’t explicitly spelled out for them. I'm not asking all of you olitzers to convert, just be willing to open your eyes, because I was an olitz fan that just saw how attached the writers were to not committing to what eventually ended up being the better option.

Disclaimer: I haven't watched the last two seasons, only looked into specific plot points, so I might have missed some small detail in a scene or episode. If there's anything that proves what I've said wrong, I would genuinely love to know!

Firstly, we’ve seen what Olivia is like when she doesn’t really care about someone she’s seeing. Edison. Russell. It’s a STARK difference. Enough said.

Secondly, I choose to believe that when Olivia chooses not to correct things that are stated, it is very relevant. Going beyond the numerous times that “Olivia loves Jake” has been thrown around (that Olivia has never once disputed), near the beginnings of Olake in 3x12 we have these moments between Olivia and Fitz where she doesn’t try to assure him that nothing serious is happening with Jake. Of course, there’s Olivia’s “Jake by my side is for me”, but they’re both amped up—especially Olivia—and it’s political. But in a quieter moment, when Fitz calmly asks her if she has feelings for Jake, all she has for him is:

[O]: “Honestly, I don’t know.”

I wouldn’t usually put much stock in it considering it’s so ambiguous, but saying that to Fitz? The island hasn't even happened yet. He’s literally the one person she should deny anything and everything to, considering he was fairly convinced at times that he was losing her to Jake, and she wasn’t exactly proving otherwise. In season 4 when she's looking for Jake, she freely claims him as her boyfriend when speaking to Quinn, and later when she calls Fitz he refers to Jake as her boyfriend and she just…doesn't correct him.

Jake too outright calls her his girlfriend to Fitz's face (after she's done everything she can to exonerate Jake + figuratively and literally threatened her relationship with Fitz by refusing to believe that Jake killed his son and her close friend despite ample evidence based on nothing other than her faith in him, and also saying that true harm to Jake would be the end of their relationship) and she doesn't so much as shift in Fitz's direction. She is completely focused on Jake in those moments, maybe because it's the first time she hears him say that. Up until this point it's repeatedly always been:

[J]: "I'm not your boyfriend, Olivia." [O]: "I know."

Beyond that, the fact that Olivia didn’t explicitly say “I love you” to Jake doesn’t mean much in my opinion when she’s continuously demonstrated that she’s probably the biggest commitment-phobe on the show. She’ll chase the dream of love and happiness when it’s unattainable, but balks in the face of it when it’s within her reach. She does it time and time again with Fitz. She’s endlessly waiting for when they can be together, but seemingly never ready when they actually can be. Fitz himself comes to that realisation when she seems to be climbing the walls of the White House after moving in:

[F]: “Before. I was unavailable before. You liked me unavailable.”

And in another instance again:

Part of the clip’s transcript: [O]: “…so why did you do it (propose)?” [F]: “Because I love you. Because you are what I want. But obviously you don’t feel the same. Some fantasy, right?” [O]: “We’re not ready.” [F]: “You’re not ready, and you know what I think? You never will be.” [O]: “That’s not fair.” [F]: “Then answer the question, Olivia. What is it that you want?”

And when asked, she’s silent. Not because she doesn’t love him. But because for whatever reason, she can’t let herself be happy. Olivia herself knows this (points for being self-aware, I guess):

[O]: "When I was with Fitz, I was happy you [Mellie] were around too. With you around, I didn't have to…I had an out. You, you were my out, Mellie. You kept him unavailable. So I left, for the same reason you stayed. Because I was scared."

One incredible user on here @zalrb does a good job of explaining, among so many wonderful things, how there were no real obstacles to the Olitz endgame beyond Olivia herself, simply because of how often Fitz was completely committed to being with her, at which point she'd double down on something being in the way. She will go all in and be open about being in the relationship, declarations of love and all, until she actually can afford to be. Then, she turns to self-sabotage. That’s been the dynamic: Fitz pushes, and she pulls away.

And when else do we see that habit of hers in the show? Enter Jake Ballard and the relationship she can actually be in and doesn't realise she's chasing.

From the absolute start the BIGGEST difference between the relationships, romantic or otherwise, is that Jake is available. He’s present, and he can be. He and Olivia have a connection that could actually be taken further. Any moves she makes will lead to results. She’s not “stealing” any moments with him that he “should” have with someone else, they’re just…being together. She only knows him available, and progress with him probably snuck up on her as a result. Knowing her at this stage, the realer their relationship got the more scared she'd be, and she'd increasingly want to run. But they still intentionally played at being domestic, at “pretending” to come home to each other from normal lives:

[O]: "I thought we could have some dinner and talk about how our days went."

Despite this though, even when they aren’t together, they’re with each other. They're a team, a 'you and me', a 'we'. Fitz might have been her lover, but Jake was her person. They have a foundation to their relationship that stays steady, regardless of if they’re actually involved at that time or not. She confides in him. She trusts him. She brings her walls down with him. She turns to him for comfort and advice. She literally keeps her place stocked with beer just because he drinks it when he’s there. Only him. I ask this genuinely, has she ever made any attempt to accomodate literally anyone else in her life by making room for them?

[O]: "Whatever happens next, we will figure it out."

[O]: "We are very, very good together."

It’s not to say she never opens up like this with Fitz, but who else besides her "great love" is she consistently willing do this with? And not just be caught up in the moment, actually initiate it, like when she actively calls Jake and opens up about them, her mother, and her associated fears about love. Let's not even get started on the number Olivia's father did on her ability to seek and accept love she doesn't need to break herself to pursue, or view as "weak" and mediocre. At one point she's actively concerned about marrying Fitz, and whether she has the ability to be "a married person", and instead of talking about it with, I dunno, Fitz himself, she calls Jake:

[O]: “I need to know what to do, you’re who I talk to.”

There's this small moment at Harrison's funeral that really struck me. She's understandably upset, and just before had been grieving Harrison's death with the rest of OPA. But throughout it, she keeps herself composed, instead acting as a rock for Abby. But once they all leave she's stuck in it for a little bit, until Jake simply reminds her that he's there with a touch, and she suddenly loses it completely, and turns to him for support. She allows him to be her rock in that moment. Truly, how often does she just surrender to someone else without it being a battle of wills, like it so often is with Fitz?

"Olivia used Jake." In a way, yes. She was definitely selfish with him, and half the time she was fighting her own defensive instincts to not get too attached. It was so unhealthy for them both for her to continually try to lean on him and keep him close, and hold herself back in often the same breath. But to say that she didn’t care about him just undermines their relationship, in all its forms. I mean, it’s not like the things she used him for were easy-breezy for her, at times it took something out of her.

Sometimes she pushes through her own walls though. I consider it such a big moment when she talks to him about her kidnapping in season 4, because I literally cannot think of a single other instance that she truly opens up about it (bonus, when she was kidnapped, who was it she pictured rescuing her?). The scene is also such a good example of her avoidant tendencies kicking in, because she stays only long enough to say her piece, be vulnerable, then is immediately gone when the recount ends (Jake literally barely says her name before she’s up and leaving).

They had a relationship that was rooted in the day to day moments, in the reality of life, and it was always reality that broke Fitz and Olivia, whose relationship comprised of ephemeral, stolen moments where they were in their own world. She not only lets herself be upset or lost in Jake’s presence (and that’s a huge concession for someone who wields confidence, control and intelligence as weapons), she lets herself be happy. In the absolute midst of another go-around with Eli, she does something we haven’t seen her do, ever: let loose, smile widely, and dance. And it’s Jake she does it with. While they BOTH are actively beefing with her father, they make a moment of joy together. And then we never see them this happy again because she’s traumatised and generally becomes colder.

So many times throughout the show, Olivia puts Fitz on the pedestal of being her great love, the one for her, she can’t be without him, and on and on. BUT throughout the show, Olivia also happens to place Jake in a position congruent to Fitz, and makes it known to BOTH of them.

[O]: “I felt something with you last night, and that feels like betrayal.” To Jake

[O]: “I know about him the way I know about you.” To Fitz

[O]: “I want Vermont with Fitz. I also want The Sun with you.” To Jake

Not only does she group the two of them, she also establishes that some aspects of her relationship with Jake are exclusive to only them, and that no one, not even Fitz himself, can touch them. The fact that Olivia—who is always so quick to remind Jake that she loves Fitz—gets offended when Jake implies that and says:

is not talked about enough. Especially the fact that she doesn't correct his assertion to Fitz that she loves him, but chooses to correct simply referencing someone else with the sun. It’s her putting Jake and The Sun, in a position apart from everyone else (imo “another man” is an insane way to refer to the apparent love of your life, but that’s just me) in a way that almost seems she feels Jake should know better.

Fitz himself makes an observation literally just after this when she's extremely reluctant to kiss him despite them being completely alone:

[F]: "You don't want me to kiss you because of Jake. This is interesting. No, really, it is. You don't know what to do. Is it disloyal to want me or is it disloyal to want him?"

In the same way that Fitz was in the middle of her and Jake's relationship, Jake was often in the middle of her and Fitz. Ultimately though, what people (olitzers) forget is that she chose Jake. She literally makes an active decision to be with him in 5x18, and she says:

[O]: “I’m ready to be happy.”

That Olivia could admit that? Not only to herself, but to others? Keeping in mind that she started that season with Fitz? It's huge progress.

And the only reason she doesn’t go through with it is because the narrative doesn’t give her the permission to. It’s also not lost on me that the one and only time we hear her discount her feelings, actually say she doesn’t love Jake, is when she’s doing everything in her power to make him believe it so that he isn’t killed. She was devastated as she walked away, visibly sick to her stomach to have done that to Jake, and correcting his understanding was her first priority when she sees him again afterwards. It's also another time she's latched onto him when letting him go would be easier for her and Fitz, but hey.

Towards the end of the show though, the writers truly switched up or went off the deep end or started doing drugs or something, because the 5x18 erasure from the narrative and Olivia's mind was very real. There's jealousy sometimes, sure, but not the kind you'd think would follow a big decision falling through (and she's lowkey highkey always been possessive of Jake). They both stray so far from "the sun", as a pair and individually, despite how much stress they had put on standing there together. The biggest admission I can think that she ever makes to him again is in season 6, when they are far from being a couple. It's an acknowledgement that they both lost something in sacrificing their relationship:

[O]: "There has to be a reason, or else why did I do this to you? Why did I do this to myself?"

Look at the way she's looking at him. The way she always looks at him.

'Looks' are one of the biggest ways that Olivia tries to communicate with him, because so often in the place of speaking, she'll just be looking at him. And he gets it. He can read her so very easily.

I don't think anyone else in the show has the same claim to the "partner" title that Jake does, however you want to take that word. We never saw her rely on, trust and open herself up to someone quite like she did with Jake.

Whenever Olivia spoke about "standing in the sun" with Jake, she's talking about the lived experience of their fantasy. Like, yes, Olitz got the big sweeping speeches and the verbal declarations of love, the constant waxing poetic about Vermont and jam and the vague outlines of a future, but truly not the substance.

Would Fitz recognise the taste of the '94 du Bellay, or even know the name? Know what to get Olivia from Gettysburger? Has he even seen her natural hair, or her in anything close to this state of ease?

It says a lot that in order to stop Jake from being a viable option for her future, the writers wiped the closest that Olivia has come to finally settling on either of them from the narrative, basically assassinated his character and their partnership, and literally made him inaccessible to her by imprisoning only him out of everyone involved.

Yeah, all that they were and could have been haunts me.

[idiotprincessgirl]

How come I do not see any fanfictions on Jake Ballard??? The most objectively attractive man in Scandal. Where are all the fics people??