'Scandal' Season 5 Spoilers: Character Evolution Happening, Fitz is a Workaholic, Mellie Campaigns & Olivia is a 'Different Woman'

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The midseason finale of "Scandal" left viewers shocked when Tony Goldwyn's Fitz went public with his relationship with Kerry Washington's Olivia, who went on to abort their child and move out of the White House. But what's in store for the pair after their tumultuous holiday?

Entertainment Weekly reported that, during the Television Critics Association’s press tour, Washington said something of her character. "She’s definitely changed. What happened at the end of the winter finale is a huge decision for her, and she’s a different woman because of it."

"The people that you’re coming back to for the second half of the season have been fundamentally changed forever when we come back to them," Rhimes said. "The evolution of those people is exactly where I have been hoping they were going, so I’m very excited about it."

Movie News Guide reported that when Scandal returns, viewers will also see Bellamy Young's Mellie hitting the campaign trail to run for presidency.

Goldwyn told The Hollywood Reporter, "We find Fitz completely alone and struggling with life on his own and sort of viciously estranged from Mellie, although they're trying to co-parent."

Goldwyn also revealed that the show has jumped six months between the midseason finale and the upcoming episode that will air this February 11. As for Fitz and Olivia, he shared that the two have not been in contact and that his character has turned into a workaholic to drown out his sorrows of missing Olivia.

"Fitz and Olivia are not in contact. It's very difficult for him to be alone," Goldwyn said. "He's leaning very heavily on Abby and really focusing on work. But he's been a bit of a monk for six months and has never been alone—he's not good at it."

Meanwhile, the 55-year-old actor admitted that he isn't sure whether or not Fitz is aware of Olivia's abortion, but he's pretty sure that "If Fitz ever finds out about it, it's going to be the worst thing that could have ever happened to him, second to the death of his son."

What he is sure of, however, is that Fitz is still in love with Olivia. He told EW that Fitz "absolutely" loves Olivia but is not showing any emotion. Fans will have to tune into ABC's "Scandal" when it returns on Thursday, February 11 at 9 p.m. to find out the future of Fitz and Olivia, and Mellie's hopeful journey to be the next President of the United States.