Elizabeth McCord had been called a lot in her time, plenty unsavoury appellations had been slung in her direction over the years but some, much more polite, has stuck; each held a special place in her heart.
Lizzie. That's what her parents had called her, ever since she could remember. "I love you Lizzie bear" her dad used to whisper when he held her, cuddling her close whenever she was upset. "I love you too daddy bear" she'd reply with a grin. Even when they were mad at her, they never used her full name to reprimand her. She was their Lizzie. It made her skin crawl now, if anyone tried to call her Lizzie she'd shut it down swiftly. "It's Elizabeth" she'd reply, her tone normally cold and unyielding. She couldn't stand the thought of anyone but her parents addressing her by that title. When they died, she stopped being Lizzie. It wasn't her.
Beth. Only Will had ever called her that, a name from when he was younger and couldn't pronounce Elizabeth. He'd chase after her as a toddler, trying to get his big sister to play his games. "Beth!" He'd called, a frown gracing his face when she pretended not to hear him. "Beth Beth!" He'd tug at her sleeve and then hug her tightly when she'd roll her eyes, "It's Elizabeth, Will. Stop speaking like a baby" the exasperation clear in her voice even to a young child. Even now it stuck though, whenever they'd meet he'd pull her close and hug her "I've missed you Beth" he'd whisper. Her reply was always the same "I've missed you too little bro." She was only Beth to Will, his big sister, his only reminder of childhood.
Adams. That's what they'd called her at the CIA. Never anything but Adams, even when she got married and became McCord. She was Adams to her superiors and her subordinates. It was the same for everyone, all addressed by their surnames but she hated that. She'd wince when she picked up the phone and bark "Adams" rather than just "hello." Langley weren't keen on polite, or her opinion, no one ever took to calling her Elizabeth; not once in twenty years.
Mom. That was her favourite name, one she wouldn't trade for anything. The first time each of her kids had said it; all in their own variations, her heart burst with love and pride. It was all of her kids first word, she felt bad that Henry never got 'dada' as a first word, but it always followed shortly after. Stevie had first said it in the middle of a church service; the chapel was quiet, heads bowed in prayer but Stevie, perched on Elizabeth's hip, looked up and shouted "ma!" The whole church had burst into laughter, at the adorable little girl; Elizabeth just squeezed Henry's hand tightly and blinked back her tears, kissing her daughters head. Alison first said "mama" as Elizabeth was putting her to bed. Her voice was sleepy and her tiny hand wrapped around Elizabeth's finger, as it was every night before she fell asleep. Elizabeth had picked her straight back up and hugged her tightly, kissing her over and over, her heart bursting with love. Jason's was different, he didn't start speaking till well after the girls had, he was almost two by the time he looked up at her and said "mommy" followed almost immediately by "no." She'd laughed and put him in the bath anyway, silently thanking the gods that her son had finally spoken. She supposed his defiance should have been an indicator of later life but she couldn't stop smiling. Even now, when she'd come home to a "hey mom" and a hug, her heart still filled with love. She had perfect children, and nothing would replace that.
Bess. That one was from Conrad and her CIA friends, whenever they got together outside the office. She liked that one, it grounded her and reminded her that she wasn't just an analyst but she had their support as friends too. It was Conrad who'd first called her it, Juliette and the rest following suit. She wasn't sure why he'd adopted it but it softened him and later when Russel Jackson had adopted it, she knew he was on her side. She liked when they called her Bess, she knew then she hadn't screwed the world up.
Dr McCord. That one took time to get used to. She'd her had PhD for a few years before she went into teaching and Dr McCord was how her letters were addressed to her but no one ever called her that in person. When a student had first called her "Dr McCord" she'd looked behind her to check if her husband was there, so used to him being addressed by that title. She'd blushed slightly when she realised they were talking to her. She like that title though, it reminded her how simple her life was and that she had everything she wanted, and needed.
Ma'am. She hated being called ma'am. It made her feel old. She tried to get her staff to call her Elizabeth, they'd all declined. She supposed using her professional title was more conducive to a productive work day, but it still made her cringe. Three years of being called Ma'am every day was enough to drive her crazy. First thing in the morning till last thing at night; agents, staff, diplomats. She preferred when she could come home, shrug off her Secretary of State persona and just be Elizabeth, that was the best part of her day.
Elizabeth. Of all the people she came into contact with in a day only Henry really called her that. From the moment he'd met her she was Elizabeth, nothing morIe nothing less. He never used a nickname and she loved that about him. She loved when she'd wake up in the morning beside him and he'd mumble her name, his voice still thick with sleep as he kissed her. At bedtime he'd lay behind her, their bodies tight together and whisper "I love you Elizabeth" in her ear. It made her shiver, though he'd been doing it for close to thirty years. The way his name tumbled from his lips when they were making love never failed to turn her on; he wasn't so articulate when he was inside her and the syllables of her name became mashed together losing some vowels along the way. She knew what he meant though, it was his declaration of everything he'd was feeling; arousal, love, passion, and whatever else that particular day had brought. Her name on his lips, she loved that one.
Babe. That was just for him. If anyone else had dared call her that she was sure she'd slap them, if Henry didn't get there first. He rarely called her babe in public, he tended to reserve it for them; their intimate secret. She loved in when he called her that, whispering it in her ear in the throes of passion. He used it when he needed comfort, reassurance or just her. His arms wrapped around her tightly and he'd sigh "babe." She knew what it meant depending on how he said it; he knew that she'd give him what he needed. That was their word, her title just for him.
Not entirely sure where this came from, it popped into my head at 7am and I couldn't get rid of it - so it wrote it. It probably doesn't make much sense but my sleep addled brain seemed to think it did. If you love it/hate it/thinks is mediocre let me know! Happy Saturday guys
Someone said I should have used babe, so I added it in.