Title: Hearts Alone (1/4)

By: adoreleo

Rating: For Part 1 is PG. Contains some strong language.

Characters: Leo, Margaret and Mallory

Spoilers: Anything up to and including Liftoff.

Disclaimer: The characters are from the NBC, WB, TV show The West Wing; they don't belong to me.

Beta, Brainstorming & Additional Ideas By: Lynn, who always goes above and beyond the call. THANKS!!!!

Feedback: Is greatly appreciated and motivates me to write more!

Author's Notes: I messed with the timeline and have Leo's heart attack occurring about two months before Thanksgiving. And obviously the nurse in this story is not the same one that is on the show.

Part 1

"Here you go Mr. McGarry," the somber faced nurse says, as she enters the living area of the hotel suite, carrying a small tray with meds and a glass of water perched on top of it.

"Thanks," Leo nods, taking the pills and quickly swallowing them. He watches the nurse walk away and rolls his eyes at her back.

Mallory gives him a face from the other end of the couch, 'Daddy, behave,' she mouths to him with a frown, but on the inside she's smiling. She's so happy to see some spark back in her father.

Leo heavily shrugs his shoulders, but quickly realizes that isn't a good thing to do as he grimaces in pain.

"Serves you right," Mallory says, but she quickly follows up with, "Daddy, are you okay?"

"Yeah," he breathes out slowly, putting a hand to his chest, "I'm fine. I just need to watch how I move sometimes," Leo admits as he silently wonders how much longer he's going to have pain in that area.

"You should be nice to her," Mallory tells her father.

"I am nice," Leo frowns. "She's just not very friendly," Leo informs his daughter.

"Right," Mallory quips.

"Look… I'm still your father young lady," Leo imparts, failing miserably at keeping the smile off his face.

Mallory smiles at her father, "Yeah, well you must be feeling better, because you never complained about her the first few weeks and now… that's all I've heard from you lately is how you can't wait for her to leave."

"Well… she's quirky," Leo says as he looks toward the extra bedroom where his nurse spends all of her time. "I don't know how many times I've told her to call me Leo," he lightly huffs, "and do you know that she even locks her door at night, like I'm any threat right now," Leo smirks.

"Daddy." Mallory rolls her eyes at her father. "You know, a lot of people say that Margaret's quirky and you don't seem to mind her," Mallory says in a soft voice. She's noticed lately how her father perks up whenever Margaret's name comes up in conversation.

"Who says that? Margaret's not quirky," Leo says suddenly getting very defensive about his assistant. "She's just… well it's just… that… who said that?"

Mallory smiles at her father. He's very protective of Margaret and always has been. He can say whatever he wants about her, but you'd better never say something even remotely negative about her, unless you want to have him in your face. She suspects that her father has a soft spot in his heart for his assistant, maybe even love, but she knows her father will never do anything about it. He probably thinks that he's too old for her or that it's an inappropriate work relationship. 'Well, he's lost the inappropriate reason now,' she quietly thinks to herself.

"Daddy, calm down. I didn't say anyone in particular said it, it's just something that's… well… it's just out there, is all," she smiles. "You know I love Margaret and I think she's wonderful."

"She's the best assistant I've ever had," Leo softly comments, trying unsuccessfully to keep any emotion out of his voice.

"Speaking of Margaret, I'm surprised I haven't run into her in the evenings over here. Has she been coming over after I leave?" Mallory's been so worried about her father, that's in only been in the past week or so that she's noticed that Margaret hasn't been over at her father's hotel.

"I've talked to her on the phone," he quickly lies, "and well… ya know CJ's been keeping her pretty busy and I'm sure that she has better things to do in her free time than to check up on me."

"It just seems strange to me, since Margaret has always taken…" Mallory's ringing cell phone interrupts their conversation, "Hello," Mallory answers after opening her cell phone. "Oh, hi Mom." She smiles softly to her father.

Leo gets up off the couch and slowly wanders into his bedroom. He doesn't want to listen to Mallory talk to his ex-wife. He sits down on his bed and thinks about Jenny. When they first separated, he'd hope that they would get back together, but he realized that after the shooting at the Newseum that probably wasn't going to happen. Jenny never even called to see if he was okay that dark day. So, he wasn't too surprised that she didn't call him after his heart attack, but it still hurt him that she didn't.

Leo still cares about what happens to Jenny, even if he's not in love with her anymore. There will always be a special place for her in his heart. He hasn't talked to Jenny in years, even though he'd told Mallory that her mother had called him and told him about her getting remarried. He just doesn't want Mallory to think badly of her mother.

Leo looks at the ring that is still on his finger. He wants to take it off, but it's been part of him for such a long time that he's just not able to remove it. It's just another reminder of who he used to be. He used to be a husband and now he used to be the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. He feels like he's lost his identity.

Mallory is relieved when her father leaves the room, because she knows what the topic of conversation is going to be.

"Mallory, where are you? I've been calling all afternoon," the ex Mrs. McGarry asks.

"I'm at Daddy's," she informs her mother. "Why didn't you call my cell phone earlier, if you needed me?"

"Well, I thought that you might be out on a date and I didn't want to interrupt you."

Mallory shakes her head. She knows her mother knew where she'd be. It's the same place she's been every night for weeks now, with her dad. She knows that her mother is jealous of all the time she's been spending with her dad, but he needs her right now. "No," she heavy breathes out, "I'm not out on a date."

"Well, I was just calling to find out about Thanksgiving. You're still flying up here, right?"

"Mom, I already told you that I don't think I should leave Daddy just yet."

"Mallory, I know it's only been a few weeks since your father's heart attack. But you said yourself, that he's doing great. I don't see why you still can't come up here for Thanksgiving," her mother whines into the phone.

"Mother, I know what I said. It's… just I don't want to leave him alone this year," she says in a low voice, trying to keep her side of the conversation from her father. She doesn't want him to feel guilty about her staying.

"Your father chose this life and he's used to being alone on holidays," Jenny bitterly tells her daughter.

"Mother," Mallory says in an exasperated voice. She's getting tired of having this same conversation with her mother.

"If you don't come here for Thanksgiving, I won't get to see you until Spring Break. Remember, Howard and I are going abroad for Christmas."

Mallory sighs; she really does want to see her Mother. They usually get along fine, as long as they avoid the subject of her father. "Well, maybe I can get someone to stay with Daddy."

"Didn't you tell me that a nurse is staying there at his hotel with him?"

"Yes, right now there is, but her last day is this coming Wednesday," she informs her mother. Mallory doesn't tell her that the doctor told them last week that there's no reason why he can't be on his own from now on.

"Well, hire her to stay longer."

"She already has plans for Thanksgiving," Mallory doesn't want to have to explain everything to her mother.

"Have your father offer her more money. Or has living in that hotel for the past five and a half years dried up his funds," she snidely remarks. "I don't know why he couldn't get at least an apartment like most normal divorced men."

"Mother," Mallory huffs back. She's growing tired of her mother's digs at her father.

"Why doesn't he get that lawyer that he's seeing to come stay with him?"

"Mother, you know he hasn't seen Jordan in almost a year," she quickly points out. Mallory didn't dislike Jordan, but she never really thought that they made a good couple.

"Oh yeah, I guess I forgot. I'm sure she got tired of spending too many lonely nights waiting for him."

"Mother, please," Mallory complains, as she wonders if her mother will ever let go of the bitterness towards her father. Mallory wants to tell her that it was her father that broke it off with Jordan, but she doesn't think it's any of her mother's business.

"Oh all right. So… are you coming up here for Thanksgiving or not?" her mother demands.

"I'll think about it. Let me see if I can find someone to stay with Daddy." Mallory has someone in mind, but isn't going to tell her mother who she's thinking about.

"I guess he could always get Margaret to come sty with him. That poor woman has put up with your father for years. But, it's not like she could hold a job anywhere else, she's an odd woman."

"Just a second," Mallory says as she quickly jumps up off the couch and heads for the balcony. She doesn't want her father to hear what she's about to say. She knows that it would hurt him deeply if he knew that her mother was bad mouthing his Margaret. "Margaret's a wonderful person who's supported Daddy for over fifteen years. That office runs like a Swiss watch because of her. Any high-ranking official would love to have her as an assistant. And you're right, I'm sure she would be very willing to come stay with Daddy, she's who I had in mind to ask anyway," Mallory informs her mother.

"Mallory, I didn't mean that I didn't like her it's just that well she's followed your father around for years it's really sad when you think about it."

"Daddy asked her to come with him each time he changed jobs."

"He did," she says with some anger in her voice.

"Yes, he did."

"Well, he never told me that," she quickly blurts out, and then quickly tries to regain her composure. She doesn't want Mallory to know that she's always been jealous of Margaret. "But, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, he never was very big about sharing things dealing with his work."

Mallory bites her tongue. She knows that whatever she says now, will just make things worse. "Mother, I need to go. I'll see if I can get someone to stay."

"Why doesn't your father just spend Thanksgiving with Jed and Abbey?" Jenny snidely remarks. She's still upset with them for not attending her wedding.

"They're going away for Thanksgiving," she tells her mom. She doesn't want to get into a discussion about the fact that they're going to Camp David and that she thinks her father isn't ready to go back there just yet. She knows that he's been affected by his heart attack in the woods, a lot more than he's letting on. She also suspects that he doesn't want to be by himself at night, because when he found out that his nurse was leaving soon, Mallory could have sworn she saw panic in her father's eyes. That's when Mallory decided to cancel visiting her mother and told her father she was going to stay with him. He didn't put up much of a fight about it, so she's pretty sure she's right about her theory.

"So, isn't he well enough to travel."

"Yes, but he doesn't want to go."

"Aren't they getting a long? Or does Jed no longer have time for your father, since he can't work for him anymore?"

"They're fine Mother. Daddy just doesn't feel like being around a bunch of people right now. And… I'm sure you heard what the President said at the Press Conference, about Daddy always be a vital part of the Administration."

"I'm sure he will. He's not going to quit until it kills him."

"Mother, it almost did and I don't like what you just said."

"I'm sorry, Mallory. You're right. It's just that… after all your father put us though over the years, it hurts me that you'd rather be with him than me on Thanksgiving."

"It's not a contest, Mother. Daddy needs me right now."

"Yes, and what about all the times we needed him and he wasn't there for us."

"Mother, I'm not doing this right now. I'll call you soon and let you know about Thanksgiving."

"Okay." Jenny says as she quickly hangs up the phone.

"Bye," Mallory says as she closes her cell phone and heads back into the living room.

After Leo hears Mallory walk out onto the balcony, he loudly sighs as he gets up, walks back out into the living area and sits down on the couch. He's overheard some of his daughter's conversation with his ex-wife and hates that Mallory is caught in the middle of them. He looks up at her with knowing eyes when she renters the room, "Hey Baby," he greets her with a warm smile and pats a spot on the couch next to him.

Mallory walks over, sits down beside her father and gently rests her head against his shoulder, careful not to lean on him too much. "I love you Daddy," she sweetly says.

"I love you too, Baby and I want you to go spend Thanksgiving with your Mother like you had planned to do this year." Leo says, as he takes a hold of her hand and squeezes it.

"Daddy, I really don't want to leave you alone. I…"

"Mallory, I'm fine. I want you to go," he says with a smile.

"I don't want you to be alone," she repeats.

"Mallory, I live in a hotel. There's always plenty of people around."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Look… it's not the first holiday I've spent alone."

"I know Daddy, but it's just… I don't want you lonely or alone anymore."

"So… are you telling me you're going to try and set me up with someone, now too," he smiles. "Cause you'll have to check with Abbey about that, since she thinks that's her job." He smirks.

"Daddy, I would never do that," she says with a sly grin.

"Right," Leo grins. "Call your mom and tell her that you'll be there for Thanksgiving. I know you already have your ticket."

"I don't know… I'm kind of mad at her right now." She admits to her father.

"Mal, your mother is just upset that she might not get to see ya. Don't pay any attention to things she might say. She's just been hurt to many times by me… and well… I guess she deserves to feel the way she does."

"Daddy, she doesn't have the right to say…"

"Shh… Baby, it's okay. I want ya to go see your Mom. You haven't visited her since she got… remarried and moved to Boston," Leo tells her, as he places a kiss in her hair.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"I don't know," she sighs.

"Look… you have to leave me alone sometime and besides, I'm not going anywhere," he reassures her.

"I know. It's just…"

"Mallory, I'm sorry I scared ya," Leo whispers. "But, you can't spend every single day or night here with me. You have your own life."

Mallory turns her head and looks at her father. She knows he's putting up a brave front, "You just want to get your nurse all to yourself these next few nights, don't you?" She smirks.

"Yeah," he growls. "Ya saw right through me."

Mallory looks at her watch, "Hey it's getting late. We need to leave now if we're going to get our walk in before it gets dark," Mallory says, as she gets up from the couch.

"Can't we skip it today? It's Sunday and I was thinking that…"

"No, we can't," Mallory interrupts her father. "You heard what the doctor said." Mallory gives her father a look.

"Yeah… and I'm really beginning to regret taking you there with me," Leo grumbles.

"Like you had a choice," Mallory smirks.

"You do remember that I'm the parent, right?"

"Yes, Daddy whatever you say," she smiles.

"Okay, just checking," Leo says, as he walks over to get a light jacket out of the closet.

Mallory takes the jacket from his hand and helps her father put it on. She walks over to the door, grabs her jacket off the chair and turns, "We're going for a walk now. Back in a few," she calls to her father's nurse. Mallory hears a muffled acknowledgement from behind the extra bedroom door.

Leo loops his arm with Mallory's after they step out of the hotel and head down to the park. He thinks about what he needs to tell her. He wants Mallory to start living her life the way she did before. He's not so sure that he's ready to be alone at night, but he's not about to admit that to her or have it impact her any more. "Mallory, I know you had a life before my heart attack. I don't want ya to think that you have to come over everyday."

"Am I boring you?" Mallory smiles. "I guess it can't be too much fun watching me grade papers." She's been expecting this lecture for some time now, especially after his earlier comments in his hotel room today.

"No and I love seeing ya. But, I just don't want ya to put your life on hold because of me," He informs her.

"Daddy, I'm enjoying spending time with you. I do wish that the circumstances were different, but I really do like seeing you everyday," she squeezes her father's arm as they enter the park.

"I do too, but don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Daddy," she laughs. "You know I'm not involved with anyone right now."

"Well… you should be."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with my father?" She smirks.

"Mallory," Leo growls.

"Where's the person who scrutinizes all of my boyfriends and finds faults with every single guy I've ever gone out with?"

"He had a heart attack," Leo's tone turns serious, "And he doesn't want his daughter to be… alone… like him."

Her father's honesty scares her. She knows that he's been down since his heart attack, but now she understands part of the reason why. Mallory stops, turns towards her father and gently hugs him, "Daddy, I love you and one of these days, we'll both will find someone to love. Who knows, we might have already meet them and just don't realize it yet."

"Yeah," Leo quietly responds, closing his eyes and thinking about a certain red headed assistant. He eventually drags his thoughts from Margaret, laces his arm with his daughter's and they continue their walk though the park.

TBC Part 2