Smothering Affection

The first night back in the White House was the hardest. The first night of anything usually is.

Having him in the hospital was almost better. She knew hospitals. She had power in hospitals. There, she could be a doctor, reading his chart and checking his vitals just like any other patient.

But back in their (temporary) home, in their bed, it all became so real. She'd seen him sick before. She'd seen him injured before. But this was so different.

She stood there for over a minute, silently staring at the rise and fall of his chest. He was asleep, thank goodness. Aided by the painkillers.

Abbey took a deep breath and let it out slowly through her pursed lips. Zoey was shaken but completely unharmed. Josh was in recovery and stable; Abbey couldn't have done a better job if she'd been operating on him herself. And Jed was going to be just fine. He was home, sleeping comfortably. She knew this all very well. So now she could let it out.

She crawled into bed ad, being very mindful of his bandages, snuggled up to her husband. She nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing the scent of him deep into her lungs. Her left arm encircled his right as her right hand clutched at the cotton shirt of his pajamas. She hooked her right leg over his, getting as close to him as she possibly could.

Jed awoke to small, gentle kisses in the crook of his neck. He slowly became aware that his wife was practically on top of him, her entire body latched onto his.

"Abbey?" he groaned.

"I'm here," she murmured into his neck. Her hand began caressing his chest.

"Honey, you know I'm not supposed to exert myself in any way," he warned teasingly.

He could feel her eyes roll at him, but she didn't respond.

"Sweetheart, you're gonna pop my stitches."

"No I'm not," she countered. "But if anything happens, I can fix it."

"I know you can, but I'd rather not get sewn up again for quite sometime."

"I'm not letting go," she insisted.

He tried to shift away from her, but she held on tight.

"Abbey!"

She sat up, though still retained her hold on his arm. "Jed, you got shot!"

"I'm aware of that. I was there. I've got the bullet wounds to prove it. But I'm going to be fine. I am fine. As soon as these stitches heal, I'll be back to normal. You're a doctor! You know that."

"Yes, I know." She went back to aggressively cuddling him.

And then he understood. "Oh, I see. This is one of those times where Mrs. Bartlet isn't listening to Dr. Bartlet," he said with a slight chuckle.

Abbey's brow furrowed. "I could have lost you. In an instant, that bullet could have hit a major artery and you could have bled out."

"But it didn't."

"No, it didn't," she agreed. "But I don't' like how close a call it could have been."

"So you're just going to smother me with affection until you get over it?"

She nodded. "Yes. Because—God forbid—if anything like this ever happens again, I want you to remember how much I love you and want you and need you, and how I'll never, ever stop loving you and wanting you and needing you for the rest of my life."

Jed knew that if he said anything in real response, he'd get too choked up. So instead he just said, "Okay," and turned to kiss her forehead. He stroked her hair with his free hand, reveling in the warmth and adoration radiating off her body, enveloping him in a sense of safety and love that he'd cling to forever.