A Good Cry

Author's Note:

Hi everybody, this is the first time I write a fanfiction story. First of all I don't own anything of Madam Secretary. Secondly, I'm a huge Madam Secretary fan so I have to " whip something up", haha just kidding. I read all over the fanfics of MSec, and found that although we claim that Henry and Bess's marriage is equal, it seems that Elizabeth is the one who always needs to be comforted and protected. But what if Henry's hurt? Hence I'm not a tragic writer,this story will be filled with lots of funny scenes. I'll be really appreciated if you like it. However English isn't my first language, sorry for the mistakes:)

Chapter One

HENRY McCORD is exhausted.

He's at home, standing beside the window and overlooking. It has been a week since he officially worked in the National War College, and he is just unsettled. New colleagues, new students and new lectures, everything seems to be challenging and completely different from Georgetown. But unfortunately, his children wouldn't give him a chance to breathe. Alison has broken up with her boyfriend, and with the impact of Iran, she feels terribly upset and just vented her anger on Stevie again. Jason, as usual, still doesn't listen to anyone. And there comes Elizabeth, his precious babe, happily she's a strong woman and gradually getting better from PTSD, but once in a while she still abruptly wakes up in the middle of the night, suffering from panic attack. At the same time her job is not getting easier and she remains working till late night. Everything just comes up at the same time and suddenly explodes. He's making best efforts to handle all of these, but he's not sure about how long he can hold up.

Finally he has a break and decides to watch TV so that he can have some fun. " Here comes a short news," the TV broadcaster says, " The Secretary of States' father-in-law had a heart attack this morning and was sent to the hospital urgently." "Oh my God" is all Henry could think, "Unfortunately, even though surgeons tried everything they could do to rescue him, he died at 11am EST. Sorry for the loss."

Dad's gone. This sentence keeps echoing in his ears. Henry collapses on the floor. All his brain is filled with shock, or maybe a little scared. "Oh," He opens his mouth big and covers it with hand, tears continuously drop down his face. He could do nothing but leaning on a sofa handrail and staring at the TV screen numbly. Suddenly, a phone rang breaks the silence.

"Henry are you alright?" A similar woman voice said, concerning.

"Um-hm," He clears his throat, "I'm fine. Don't worry babe."

"I saw it on the news and completely shocked as you are. I'm so sorry for Pat. Now I just want to sit by your side and cheer you up but this is too hard. I really don't know what to say to comfort you." Her voice sounds a little bit choking.

"Hey! Babe, it's okay,I'm okay. Don't worry. People are all gonna die, just sooner or later." Despite his voice trembles, he tries his best to make his wife sure that he's fine, meanwhile hiding the grief deep inside his heart.

"But I..., and you...oh my god! Blake please pass me a paper bag!" Her panic attack happens again.

"Listen to me babe." Henry's voice rapidly calms down. "Don't think about anything else. I'm here. Just try your best to breathe. It's okay."

A few minutes later, Elizabeth finally breathes normally. "I'm gonna put off all of my stuff and go home. I'll be right back."

THE door is opened.

Elizabeth rushes into the living room and finds out it is empty. "Henry?" She calls, but no response. Then she gazes at the office and finds her husband leaning on the chair tiredly, staring at the photos on the desk unconsciously without any move. She pauses, and stands there for a while. "Oh my poor Henry," She pounces on him and kisses him desperately.

The kiss lasts for a long time, long enough for them to walk surround the equator. Finally Henry pushes off and makes the fake smile as he can, says "Hey babe, when did you come back?"

"Just now." Elizabeth grins, giving his arms a little pinch. "You seem to be completely exhausted. Why don't we sit on the couch and watch some funny TV shows?"

"Good." Henry grins back. He knows she wants to distract his attention.

They casually lean on the couch, holding each other's hands, but both of them are not paying attention to the show at all. Henry is definitely a tough guy with great endurance , but Elizabeth had never held such weak, shaky hands of his. She glances at him, different from her mother-in-law's death, this time he seems so helpless, sensitive and small, like an unbreakable castle in his heart nearly breaks down. She come to realize that this man sitting beside her is not the Henry she knows. It's not just because of Pat's death.

"Hey babe," A voice interrupts her thoughts. "I haven't seen you for a few days. How's it going?" Henry tries everything to make his tone normal as usual.

"Oh it's just work, work and work. Let's just forget about these annoying things. But why are you looking so exhausted? Oh I nearly forgot you have been working in the new college for a week, damn it! Do you like this new job?"

"Well it's the first week, you know that. Everything just seems a little bit not on track. But studying religion in a military college, that's goddamn awesome! I think I'll get over it immediately." Henry laughs a little, bittersweetly, and holds his wife's shoulder.

"Yeah, that's cool." Elizabeth hates seeing her love hiding his grief, and pretending he's fine and strong, that nothing happened, that he can manage all of these by his own. She really wants to help him, to talk to him, but she doesn't want to break the harmony on surface that Henry tries to build up, hence she doesn't know how to start the conversation.

"How about the kids? Do they miss me to the moon?" Elizabeth slightly giggles, wanting to light up the mood.

"Well things get a little tricky. Alison's broke up with her boyfriend again,and as it goes, she vented her anger on Stevie again, you know, sister's fight...And Jason, you know who he is." Henry seems tired of saying that.

"She broke up with her boyfriend again? I don't like him either, but that's able to catch up with Taylor Swift's speed! Poor Stevie!"

"Yeah but this time Stevie didn't bicker with her. She's such a patient big sister. I mean if I were her, I'd never know how to stand this. Sorry but what's Taylor Swift speed means?"

"Well that's...never mind. Sometimes I find your dorkness really adorable, professor. And I appreciate for us having such ridiculous sweet children, with your nerd genes of course."

"Well, that's...not only mine...hahahahaha..." They both point at, and coincidentally start to laugh at each other, keeping clapping their laps with hands.

Finally they stop giggling, staring each other's eyes with love. Henry knows that Elizabeth was just trying to comfort him, and he realizes that it worked a little, to forget about every sad things and bring back happiness temporarily. Now his heart's full of gratitude. "Oh thank god I still have you." He leans in, tired but kisses her with every strength he can use. What he didn't realize is that tears are dropping again.

Elizabeth pulls away and softly wipes his tears with her hand. It feels like a massage for his tied-up facial muscles. Then she kisses his forehead and says "I have already ordered some Chinese, so you don't need to cook dinner. You can have a rest in my embrace if you want."

"No I'm okay Elizabeth, I said I'm fine."Henry says, trying to avoid her eyes. I do, babe, I really want to, but I'm the one who should protect you and the family after we've been through these, I must be strong. Meanwhile his wife feels suffered from his acting tough.

The door bell rings and breaks the silence again. They open the door together, and find that Stevie, Alison and Jason are standing at the doorway, lifting the Chinese Elizabeth have ordered, tears are filling their eyes.