A/N - Thank you Lilacmermaid for providing me with 3 things i had to incorporate into this little Drabble! I have been struggling to write anything so need to ease myself back into it. If anyone wants to give me a promp… please do! As always….Reviews are welcome xx
Elizabeth McCord wasn't a woman who spent a lot of time dwelling on decisions…. She made them, she lived with the consequences and she moved on. It's the way she'd always been and it had served her pretty well… up until now. As she walked into her beautiful home just before midnight, closing the door behind her and leaning heavily against it in a vain attempt to hold herself up, the realisation of what she had done and what she was about to undertake hit her like a steam train.
She was somewhat tipsy… Ok… She was pretty drunk, having had a few drinks with her staff in her office before she walked out of it for the last time, and then having a few more at a bar they'd convinced her to go to. It wasn't something she would usually consider doing… But then she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately…. And getting drunk with people who may just understand how she was feeling seemed like a good idea…. At the time.
She managed to trip over her own bags that she'd dropped to the floor as soon as she entered the house.
"Oh shit…. Who put those there?" Her shoes were kicked off, clattering against the wooden floor as she padded through to the kitchen in search of another drink. She was already pretty far gone so another few wouldn't hurt, right?! She smiled to herself as she lifted the bottle of scotch from the wall cabinet and placed the crystal glass on the side, even managing to get some of the liquor into said glass…. Something that made her feel rather pleased with herself.
"Ha… Nailed it...See…. I can do anything I put my mind too." She was slurring away to herself, completely oblivious to her husband who was watching her with great amusement from the bottom of the stairs.
Elizabeth glanced around the kitchen and then her eyes lit up and she let out a rather giddy squeal "Yes…. Cookies… I love cookies." She lifted the lid of the cookie jar and pulled out a couple "Urghhhh…. Why do people put raisins in cookies? They don't belong…. Fruit has no place in baked goods for the love of god where are the chocolate chips?" She threw the oatmeal raisin cookies down and continued searching in the jar for something containing chocolate.
Henry couldn't help the snigger that escaped him. His wife was so intelligent and beautiful and sexy beyond words…. But she was also a rather hilarious drunk and he hadn't seen her this wasted for a good while.
"Well, well…There's tomorrow's headline right there…. Madam Secretary caught with her hand in the cookie jar." Henry made his way over to his swaying wife and wrapped his arms around her "You ok there sweetheart?... Had a few too many?"
A big smile crossed her lips and her eyes were sparkling in the soft glow of the room "Heeeennnnnweeeee…. I wuv youuuuu…. I swear to drunk I'm not god...Have a… a… I forgot." She now just looked confused.
"A cookie?...A drink?" He filled in the blank with a chuckle.
"YES…. A drink… with me….Your wife." She pointed her index fingers at him and winked.
"Ok babe…. I think you may have had enough for tonight…. Why don't I get you to bed?" Henry took her by the arms and tried to move her towards the stairs but she wasn't budging.
"You just want to…. Do stuff…. Naughty Henwee" She raised her brow at him and chewed on her bottom lip…"Do I turn you on?"
"Oh yes you do baby…. But it's late and we should get some sleep." Henry ran his hands down her arms and placed a kiss on her cheek "Come on… Bedtime."
"But I can drink on school nights now… I don't have a job." The cheeky grin that had been present now dissipated and a sadness replaced it, her eyes glistening with tears "I'm not Madam Sexytary...No more"
She leaned back against the kitchen worktop and managed to knock her glass flying, smashing it against the floor "And now I've broken my favourite glass… Fuck it." That was all it took for the dam to break and the tears to fall.
"Oh sweetheart…. Tough last day at the State department huh?…. Stay still and let me clean up before you cut your feet." Henry swept up the shards of glass while Elizabeth watched him intently.
"You always take care of me….. Even when I fail at everything…. I loved my job Henry." The silent tears had now turned to deep sobs as Henry took her in his arms.
"I know you did baby… But it's time for bigger things… You're ready…. And you've never failed at anything."
Her body was shuddering and it didn't take much for him to be able to scoop her up and get her upstairs to the bedroom. Undressing her was easy as she put up little resistance.
"I'm good at sex… We can do that… Let's do that Henry…. I'm good at that, right?" She was smiling at him but her eyes were shut.
Henry pulled the covers up over her and brushed the hair from her face.
"You're very good at that…. But right now I think you should sleep baby." He kissed her forehead and switched off the lamp, making his way to his side of the bed. As he climbed in and switched off his own lamp, plunging the room into darkness he felt Elizabeth's hand in his.
"I'm scared Henry." Her voice was a mere whisper but the feelings were very clear.
He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her "I know baby…. But you really don't need to be, I'm right here with you… And you'll be our next president, I have no doubt about it." He looked across at her and smiled, she was already fast asleep…. She was going to feel this in the morning…. But he had a surprise that may just make her feel a little better...And he couldn't wait to tell her!
Elizabeth groaned as her eyes flickered open for a split second before the sunlight pouring through the blinds made her question her choice to open them and she swiftly closed them again…. Pulling the covers over her head to make sure no more light dared to get in.
Henry sat on the edge of the bed and tugged the sheets back down "Good Morning Beautiful…. How are you feeling?" He was pretty sure he already knew the answer but deemed it only polite to ask.
She forced her eyes open again and glared at him "I feel like Metallica are playing in my head right now… Thanks for asking."
"Ooooohhhhh…. Ouch… I've brought coffee and Advil… And I have a surprise for you."
She wriggled upwards and sat against the headboard "You're going to claim my hangover as your own and tell me I didn't give up my job after all…. That's all I need right now."
Henry smiled at her and handed her the coffee and pills "Your hangover will be gone soon enough…. And you gave up your job because you're going to make history as the first female president…. I'd say that is a pretty good reason babe."
"You look like a kid in a sweet shop Henry… Come on then, what's this surprise." No matter how crappy she felt, Henry could always make her smile.
"We're going away for a week, just me and you… Laying on a beach, in the sun… Sipping cocktails.." Elizabeth groaned at him and looked a little green "Ok… Maybe not the cocktails… But you need a break before you start campaigning babe…. You need to recharge."
"I can't think of anything I would rather do right now, other than offload this damn headache…. Thank you babe…. Where are we going?"
"Anguilla…. And just think, we'll have all that uninterrupted time to do that thing you're oh so good at baby." Henry flashed her that geeky grin.
"What am I good at?"
"You don't remember anything from last night at all, do you?' Henry could use this to his advantage.
"Not really… I vaguely remember cookies but little else…. Why? What did I say?"
"Nothing embarrassing sweetheart…. Just that you really don't fancy scuba diving anymore and it would be a waste of time for me to get certified…. Which I totally support… It's good we got that sorted out at least."
Elizabeth gave him the side eye "I didn't say that at all, did I."
"Come on…. We need to pack and get going….. Paradise awaits." Henry made a quick exit while he was winning.
Elizabeth gasped as she walked into their beachfront suite which would be home for the next week…. The huge glass bifold doors led straight out onto the sand and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore was better than any stupid meditation for relaxing her.
"Oh Henry…. This really is just perfect…. How do you always know just what I need?" She took a step outside to let the sun warm her face.
"Because I love you and I'm just awesome." His hands slipped around her waist and his lips made a trail of soft kisses against her neck "Come and show me what you're good at." His warm breath tickled against her skin as she let the stress leave her body.
"If Astrology is correct in it's findings….. As a typical Pisces, I'm good at everything baby… So what particular aspect of my incredible being did you have in mind?' She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck "I can be very resourceful." The little tug at her bottom lip with her teeth was all Henry needed to drag her towards the bed.
"Oh… So this is why you whisked me away…. You only want me for my body." The sound of her giggles filled the room as Henry lifted her onto the bed.
'Yeah… That and your next job comes with a chef which is very useful with your cooking skills."
Elizabeth slapped Henry's chest and felt the bed move underneath her "Uhhhh…. Honey… The bed's moving."
Henry had already started on his foreplay technique and was playfully nuzzling her shoulders "Oh baby… you've seen nothing yet." His words were lost as he mumbled against her.
"No… Henry… It's actually moving." She pushed him up and tried to steady herself "What's the deal with this bed?"
"It's a waterbed….. They asked if I wanted a room with one when I booked and I thought it might be kinda sexy." Henry pushed her back down and continued his attempts at seduction.
Elizabeth gave into the passion and immersed herself in the comfort of her husband…. Until nausea hit.
"Urghhhh Henry…. Stop…. I have to get off this bed."
"Why?... What's wrong?"
"I don't feel too good… Between you and the bed…, I think I'm getting seasick."
"I thought you were a typical Pisces?" Henry chuckled as his wife slid out from under him and wrapped herself in a sheet…. "Doesn't that make you a water baby?"
"Yeah… well this particular little fishy does not like that bed….. So we either change rooms or you'll be getting none for the next week."
Henry jumped up and quickly dressed "Woah… Don't be too hasty…. Consider this sorted."
As they walked into their new room…. The view just as breathtaking as the last…. Elizabeth tentatively pressed her palms to the mattress…. Making sure the only movement would be from herself and Henry.
"Everything ok now?" Henry approached with caution.
"It will be when you get over here….. Let's start this holiday properly."
"Yes Ma'am."
Sleepily laying amongst the tangled sheets of their post coital bliss….. Elizabeth laid her head on Henry's chest, lazily tracing patterns with her fingertips
"Henry…. Have I just made the biggest mistake of my life?"
Henry tilted his head and looked down at her "That's not a very nice thing to ask when we've just made love."
"Oh… I didn't mean that… You know I didn't…. I meant resigning. This whole running for President thing is getting too real."
"Elizabeth McCord….. You are more than ready for any challenge that comes your way….. I believe in you… Your team believes in you….Everybody who knows you believes in you... You just have to start believing in yourself. And you can do that next week…. But while we're here, the only thing I want you to think about is relaxing." Henry's hands were sneakily making their way back under the sheet.
"Ok…. You win…. I'll forget it all until we get home…. But in the meantime, whatever shall we do to pass the time?" She let out a sigh as Henry's hands glided down her naked torso "Oh… I see you have some ideas… Let me show you just what a typical Pisces can do."
As their laughter filled the air, Whatever the next chapter of their lives would bring didn't matter at that moment….. She may no longer be Secretary of State….. But being Henry's wife was all she needed.