'Scandal' Tweet-cap: The Dark Side of the Moon

Since the beginning, Huck's been this mysterious figure we always wondered about: Where he came from, who he was, how he got to be this way.

Now, we know. And we wish we didn't, because the story is so, so, so tremendously, awfully, heartbreakingly sad.

But as painful as it is to witness exactly how Huck came to be Huck, we understand him more. And we understand his special relationship with Olivia. They both "live on the dark side of the moon," as she says. As grand and bigger than life and romantic and dramatic as it may seem, that dark side isn't a pleasant place. It's gut-wrenching. It's peace-shattering. It's life-altering. It's tragic. And there's no silver lining, no bright side, no happy ending.

Eyes wide shut

This is going to be a flashback-heavy episode; the first few minutes show how Olivia and Huck first meet -- she's taking the subway and spies a homeless grifter begging for change.

In the present day, Olivia is getting checked out after her concussion from her sort-of tussle with Jake. After the doctor pronounces her fit, Fitz pounces on her! "I was hurt, and I was wrong, and I'm sorry," the president says. As believable as he sounds (and as handsome as he looks), Olivia gives him the Death Glare.

Back at the Gladiators' office, Huck is curled up in a corner repeating the number "752." What does that mean?

Well, let's go to flashback: He's in fatigues and surprises a woman reading to a bunch of kids -- we shall call her Library Girl -- who turns out to be his sweetheart. They kiss and hug and engage in all sorts of non-Huck things.

Apparently, he's been called back from the fighting front for an interview. In that room is Cyrus's assassin friend, Charlie! Huck quickly realizes this is no ordinary job screening; this is the CIA. And if he doesn't take the gig, he has to go back to Kosovo.

And he does. Unfortunately, he'll regret it later.

Harrison tries to see Olivia in the hospital, but Secret Service agents get in the way. Then he spies Charlie looking shifty and weird -- in the baseball cap he always wears, even though he's a superbad, supercapable CIA agent -- but Harrison is unable to chase him. But that just makes us wonder: Why is Charlie there? And under whose orders?

Calling all friends

Back to Huck's story: Charlie takes him under his torturous, murderous wing. "Torture is an art. This is your chance to come into your own," Charlie says. And Huck takes to it!

Once he returns to the office, Harrison calls to check on Olivia. And even though he knows why the Secret Service is protecting her, he doesn't call her out on it.

"It's none of my business. Just get back here as soon as you can," he says gently.

Quinn takes a crack at trying to fix Huck, rambling on about how she envisioned a life with Jesse. And for a moment, it seems like his protégé is getting to him -- but his "752" chanting gets worse.

Huck goes to see Library Girl, who is skittish and nervous. It turns out she's pregnant! She isn't sure how Huck's going to react, but he's happy and excited. He asks Library Girl to marry him. Later, we see him stop torturing some dude to run to her side as she gives birth. They welcome a beautiful baby boy into the world. And his being so happy means really bad things are coming.

Abby takes her shot at trying to fix Huck and starts going on and on about David Rosen, and how they love each other. But her loyalty is with Olivia.

Her talk doesn't work, either. Let's face it -- did anyone think Abby would be the one to get through to him? Puh-lease.

A dream or a nightmare?

Huck comes home one day to find Charlie talking to Library Girl and holding his baby boy. Not good. In other news, apparently Huck's real name is Ben. It's hard to care (as much as we've wanted to find out his name since, oh, the first episode of "Scandal") because a couple of cars pull up to the house to take Huck away from his family. He's thrown into an underground cell and repeatedly asked if he has a wife and child. Whenever he says "yes," the door is slammed shut.

Back in the present day, Abby tags in Harrison, who muses about how he's a talker and how Huck, well, isn't. At all. But he doesn't try to get Huck to come back. Instead, he gives him space. "So you be as full-on crazy as you need to be, and I'm gonna be right here with you," Harrison says. (Seriously ... where is our version of Harrison?!) Huck just keeps mumbling "752" over and over.

[Related: Kerry Washington: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me]

At the hospital, Fitz checks in on Olivia again, but she doesn't want any part of him. They finally talk -- about Defiance. "I went against everything I believed in. For you," she says. He didn't want to win because she "fixed" it; he wanted to win because he deserved it.

He asks if she still loves him, and she can't answer -- but of course she does. OF COURSE SHE DOES. She knows it. He knows it. His wife knows it. His Secret Service agents know it. People living deep within the Amazon rainforests probably know it. But, Fitz being Fitz, has to give a speech. And it's good. Because it's Fitz.

"I have learned only one thing: that I cannot exist without you. That I cannot breathe without you. That the man I am without you is … nothing. I'm nothing and you are everything."

Who could say no to that?! Olivia Pope, that's who. She turns around and gives him a passionate kiss -- before running away.

Fitz returns to the White House to find Mellie packing up to leave. She's sick of him mooning after Olivia and is moving across the street. She's keeping it quiet -- for now.

"I'm done. Life as you know it is over," she tells him. "Good luck getting re-elected once I start talking." And you know what -- Mellie isn't our fave, but we did a little cheer for her.

In and out

After lurking around Olivia's hospital room for a while, Jake is meeting again with his mysterious boss. He thinks the mission should be reassigned because of, um, his relationship to the president (riiiight). Unfortunately, as the boss guy says, "There's no such thing as 'out.'"

That's something Huck knows all too well. Flashback time: He's still in his underground cell. Who knows how long it's been -- he has a beard now. He's shivering and looks like he might keel over. Someone asks him if he has a wife and child -- and Huck finally breaks. He says "no." They let him out and give him a new assignment. He and Charlie go to torture someone, but Huck can't do it. Charlie pulls a gun on him, apparently having been ordered to kill him -- but he can't do it! Instead, he tells Huck to disappear and never contact his family again.

Out of the hospital, Olivia returns to the gladiators' offices to see Huck. She kneels in front of him and says he saved her, not the other way around. Then, Olivia -- the Olivia who can order presidents and justices and powerful businessmen around -- begs.

"I am alone -- except for you," she pleads. As for Harrison, Abby, and Quinn, "They don't live on the dark side of the moon. They're different. ... You are all I have. You are everything."

Huck wakes up, finally. He looks so sad. It breaks our hearts. "I think I used to have a family," he whispers, but he can't remember if they were real or just a beautiful dream. Olivia assures him that if he thinks they were real, they are.

And then we see what "752" means. (Brace yourselves.)

Final flashback: Huck is in that subway, wearing dirty clothes and his outgrown beard. Library Girl and a young boy get off the train, and the boy spies the poor homeless guy. He gives Huck some money before mom rushes him off.

Huck looks up at the station clock. It's 7:52 a.m. The time of death for Ben, the guy who loved Library Girl and held his newborn baby boy.

That's when Huck was born.

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"Scandal" airs Thursdays at 10 PM on ABC.

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