Mistakes -- Part 1
Thanks to Regency for the idea and encouragement!
Characters: Jed/Abbey/Leo
Rating: R
Major angst and drama. Before Jed and Abbey fans freak out, my intention isn't to separate these two, just to test their love!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to play with them a little! Thank you to Aaron Sorkin, Warner Bros, and NBC!
Feedback is always welcomed!
Summary: For the first time in her marriage, Abigail Bartlet has strayed -- with her husband's best friend. But when Jed confronts her, he's in for quite a shock himself.
Abbey sat on the bed she shared with her husband. She gazed off into space, just thinking about their life, their hopes, their dreams, thinking about how she may have ruined it all. It had been two months since she realized what a terrible mistake she'd made. After a brief affair with Leo, she knew she had to end it, and she did.
She thought back to that cold, winter day. She had invited Leo into the garden while Jed was away. For sometime prior, Leo and Jed's relationship had been strained. Leo was feeling shut out and he didn't really know why. When Jed travelled, Leo rarely went with him anymore. Instead, he'd stay behind and work at his office in the White House, and at night, he'd make himself comfortable in the residence -- a little too comfortable. They never meant for it to happen. Abbey understood what Leo was going through because Jed was shutting her out too, like he did many times during their years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
They were friends. They talked to each other, consoled each other, and finally made love to each other. It only happened twice, but it was enough for Jed to leave his wife and kill his best friend if he ever found out. After the first time, they both agreed it would never happen again. But it did. The second time hit Abbey more emotionally. It really sunk in what she was doing, that she was betraying the only man she's ever truly loved. That day in the garden, she ended it with Leo, who had no argument. He knew it was wrong. He didn't want to hurt Jed any more than Abbey did. The guilt almost killed her. She wanted to tell Jed so badly. She wanted him to know that she had made a mistake, but that he could trust her. She tried many times, but everytime, she'd chicken out.
On this particular night, as she sat on the bed, she knew all that was over. Jed knew. She knew Jed knew because everyone else had already figured it out. Junior staffers were the first to notice Leo going to the Residence whenever Jed was away. Just as in any office, watercooler gossip made its way through the ranks. And on this day, CJ, who found out only days earlier, called Abbey only moments before to tell her that the President was on his way to the residence. Abbey braced herself for what was sure to be an explosive confrontation and at the end, she hoped that she still had a marriage because, angry or not, there was still something more she had to tell Jed.
Jed entered the bedroom ready for a fight. He had already punched Leo out minutes before and now it was time for Abbey to experience his wrath. She knew this wasn't going to be pretty.
"It's over!" she shouted before he got his first word out. "I called it off weeks ago!"
"And that's it? You called it off so it makes everything okay?" he asked, his tone more bitter than she expected.
"It was a mistake, I made it, and I'm sorry. If I could take it back..."
"Oh god..." Jed began, rubbing his forehead.
"Jed," she said as she took a few steps towards him.
"Shut up, Abbey! Just shut up!"
She stood still, shocked by his anger. She knew it was coming, but she was still a bit surprised by the rage that burned inside him.
"What were you thinking?" he continued as he walked around her, her body stationary. "Were you thinking at all, Abigail? Or were you just so hot for Leo that you..."
"It wasn't like that..."
"The hell it wasn't!" he shouted so loud that she took a few steps backwards. "How many times?"
After a slight pause, Abbey whispered, "twice."
"Excuse me? I can't hear you."
"It happened twice. I ended it two months ago."
"I don't want all the gory details," Jed said, "but you will have to talk to the press."
"What?" Abbey asked, shocked by his order.
"You'll have to tell them why the President and First Lady are breaking the moral code of the Catholic Church, why we're setting a precedent no other sitting President and First Lady have ever come close to touching, why we're divorcing."
His words stung Abbey to her core. She knew this was going to be hard, but in the end, she hoped she could still salvage her marriage. He wanted no part of it. Choosing to ignore the bigger issue for a second, she began to tell Jed her news.
"I have something else I have to tell you."
"There's nothing else I want to hear tonight," he said as he turned to walk out of the bedroom.
"I'm pregnant," she blurted out.
TBC
Thanks to Regency for the idea and encouragement!
Characters: Jed/Abbey/Leo
Rating: R
Major angst and drama. Before Jed and Abbey fans freak out, my intention isn't to separate these two, just to test their love!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to play with them a little! Thank you to Aaron Sorkin, Warner Bros, and NBC!
Feedback is always welcomed!
Summary: For the first time in her marriage, Abigail Bartlet has strayed -- with her husband's best friend. But when Jed confronts her, he's in for quite a shock himself.
Abbey sat on the bed she shared with her husband. She gazed off into space, just thinking about their life, their hopes, their dreams, thinking about how she may have ruined it all. It had been two months since she realized what a terrible mistake she'd made. After a brief affair with Leo, she knew she had to end it, and she did.
She thought back to that cold, winter day. She had invited Leo into the garden while Jed was away. For sometime prior, Leo and Jed's relationship had been strained. Leo was feeling shut out and he didn't really know why. When Jed travelled, Leo rarely went with him anymore. Instead, he'd stay behind and work at his office in the White House, and at night, he'd make himself comfortable in the residence -- a little too comfortable. They never meant for it to happen. Abbey understood what Leo was going through because Jed was shutting her out too, like he did many times during their years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
They were friends. They talked to each other, consoled each other, and finally made love to each other. It only happened twice, but it was enough for Jed to leave his wife and kill his best friend if he ever found out. After the first time, they both agreed it would never happen again. But it did. The second time hit Abbey more emotionally. It really sunk in what she was doing, that she was betraying the only man she's ever truly loved. That day in the garden, she ended it with Leo, who had no argument. He knew it was wrong. He didn't want to hurt Jed any more than Abbey did. The guilt almost killed her. She wanted to tell Jed so badly. She wanted him to know that she had made a mistake, but that he could trust her. She tried many times, but everytime, she'd chicken out.
On this particular night, as she sat on the bed, she knew all that was over. Jed knew. She knew Jed knew because everyone else had already figured it out. Junior staffers were the first to notice Leo going to the Residence whenever Jed was away. Just as in any office, watercooler gossip made its way through the ranks. And on this day, CJ, who found out only days earlier, called Abbey only moments before to tell her that the President was on his way to the residence. Abbey braced herself for what was sure to be an explosive confrontation and at the end, she hoped that she still had a marriage because, angry or not, there was still something more she had to tell Jed.
Jed entered the bedroom ready for a fight. He had already punched Leo out minutes before and now it was time for Abbey to experience his wrath. She knew this wasn't going to be pretty.
"It's over!" she shouted before he got his first word out. "I called it off weeks ago!"
"And that's it? You called it off so it makes everything okay?" he asked, his tone more bitter than she expected.
"It was a mistake, I made it, and I'm sorry. If I could take it back..."
"Oh god..." Jed began, rubbing his forehead.
"Jed," she said as she took a few steps towards him.
"Shut up, Abbey! Just shut up!"
She stood still, shocked by his anger. She knew it was coming, but she was still a bit surprised by the rage that burned inside him.
"What were you thinking?" he continued as he walked around her, her body stationary. "Were you thinking at all, Abigail? Or were you just so hot for Leo that you..."
"It wasn't like that..."
"The hell it wasn't!" he shouted so loud that she took a few steps backwards. "How many times?"
After a slight pause, Abbey whispered, "twice."
"Excuse me? I can't hear you."
"It happened twice. I ended it two months ago."
"I don't want all the gory details," Jed said, "but you will have to talk to the press."
"What?" Abbey asked, shocked by his order.
"You'll have to tell them why the President and First Lady are breaking the moral code of the Catholic Church, why we're setting a precedent no other sitting President and First Lady have ever come close to touching, why we're divorcing."
His words stung Abbey to her core. She knew this was going to be hard, but in the end, she hoped she could still salvage her marriage. He wanted no part of it. Choosing to ignore the bigger issue for a second, she began to tell Jed her news.
"I have something else I have to tell you."
"There's nothing else I want to hear tonight," he said as he turned to walk out of the bedroom.
"I'm pregnant," she blurted out.
TBC