Suddenly remembering that she had asked the Admiral and Charlie to wait outside, Abbey stood up and went to the door, quietly opening it so as not to wake Jed and then stepping outside into the Hall.

"He's asleep," she told them. "I'll call you when he wakes, Admiral," she added, then turned to Charlie, "Charlie, I need to call my daughters – I don't want them to hear about this from someone else – so would you mind waiting inside with the President until I get back? I don't think he'll wake up for a while but–"

"Of course, ma'am. Um – there's a message here for him from Leo." He handed her a folded piece of paper.

"Is this a state secret?" Abbey asked.

"No, ma'am, it's all over the internet. Leo's gonna do a pre-emptive press conference tomorrow. They're working on it now."

Abbey's eyes widened. "A pre-emptive–? The internet?" Sudden panic rushed through her. "Charlie, what the hell are you talking about?"

Charlie looked at her in surprise. "Leo – and – and Sierra Tucson, ma'am."

"Oh!" Abbey let her breath out in a quick sigh of relief and then realised that she had over-reacted again. She had to stop doing that... "Yeah – yeah, that was inevitable, I suppose – once they got hold of the records. Is Leo okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good then. I'll call him later. Okay, Charlie, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Abbey went along to the sitting room next the Lincoln Bedroom, where she could be sure of total privacy. She spoke to Liz and Zoey, but had to leave a message on Ellie's voice-mail. It had been a relief to talk to Liz who, always practical, had asked her immediately whether it would affect Jed's MS. Abbey, in trying to reassure her that there didn't seem to be any indications of a major relapse, felt that she was reassuring herself at the same time. Zoey had been more emotional and Abbey had been warmed by her youngest daughter's response that she would come back to the White House immediately. "There's no need," she'd told her. "Your Dad's sound asleep – and sleep's the best thing for him right now."

When she went back into the bedroom, Charlie stood up automatically.

"Everything okay, Charlie?"

"Yeah, he's turned from one side to the other a couple of times, ma'am – but he's still out of it."

Abbey looked at Jed and saw that he'd turned into his customary position in bed, lying on his right side – and if she'd been there with him, he'd have his arm around her, resting just under her breasts.

"Oh, and he did mutter something when he turned over," Charlie continued, somewhat hesitantly. "Something about jumping – I couldn't make out what he said."

Despite herself and all her anxieties, Abbey couldn't help but start laughing inwardly. "I bet he did!" She looked at the young man. "It's okay, Charlie – I know what he was saying."

"Yes, ma'am." Charlie also knew exactly what the President had said, but was far too embarrassed to repeat it verbatim to the First Lady. "Um – it's okay if I go now, ma'am?"

"Yes, of course – and thanks, Charlie."

After he'd gone, Abbey approached the bed and put her hand gently on Jed's forehead. Still too hot, she thought. But there was still the hope that he could sweat it out...

She checked again that the air conditioning was on its coolest setting, then sat down on the sofa from where she could still see him, and pulled the reports from her flight bag that she had been intending to read on this evening's short flight to Trenton. She just hoped that the New Jersey Women Democrats would forgive her for not turning up at their Annual Dinner – 'for family reasons', she'd told Lilly to say. Now she gave a wry smile. Most women recognised that euphemism for family crises ranging from insignificant to major – but she wondered if it could actually be stretched to cover 'My husband could have a relapse with a disease that we haven't disclosed to the American public'? No, she thought with a quick shake of her head, I need to think more positively than that. She glanced across at Jed again. If only that damned fever world break!

--

"Abbey?...Abbey!..."

Abbey woke with a start, realising that she had dozed off and the report she had been reading had slid to the floor. She looked quickly at the bed, and was immediately wide awake when she saw that Jed was sitting on the edge.

She jumped up. "What on earth are you doing?" Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was almost midnight, so at least he had slept for over four hours.

He gave her a tired grin. "I was gonna get some dry pajamas – these are saturated. I must have been sweating hard – but I still feel too woozy to stand up."

"Stay there," she ordered, and went across to his closet, returning with a pair of sweatpants and T-shirt. "Okay, let me get your top off. Oh yuck," she said, as she put her hand on his chest. "You're right. You really are soaked."

She reached past him to feel the sheet. "And so's this sheet," she added. "Okay, action stations. If I pull this chair right up to the bed, think you can transfer yourself on to it?"

He looked at her under his lashes. "You mean you're not gonna do a fireman's lift on me?"

"Very funny!" She pulled the chair up and helped him lift himself from the side of the bed on to the chair. "Now get that top off." Reaching for her medical bag, she pulled out her thermometer and went into the bathroom to rinse it and to collect a towel and damp sponge too.

"Bed bath next, is it?" Jed said with a grin when she went back to the bedroom.

"Open up!" she said, and he obediently opened his mouth for the thermometer. Then, as she started to sponge his shoulders and chest and then dry him with the towel, he leaned back against the chair, and murmured, "Mmm – nice."

"Stop talking – or you'll break that thermometer and give yourself mercury poisoning," she warned him. Then as she waited a minute or so for his temperature to register, she stroked back his damp hair, at the same time holding his wrist so that she could feel his pulse. Breathing okay, she thought, pulse still a little fast, his forehead still warm – but it did feel slightly less hot than before... She pulled out the thermometer and looked at it. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better than I did earlier. What's it say?"

"Any – other effects?" Abbey asked, trying to make the question casual.

His eyes met hers and she knew that he knew what she meant. "No," he said, "no, I'm okay. My head's not quite attached itself back to the rest of me – but that's all. Honestly, Abbey," he added as he saw the doubt in her eyes.

"Okay. And the other good news is that it's gone down a little – 101 one. Hackett can give you some Flumadine tomorrow which should help. Here, can you manage to put this T-shirt on? I'll change the sheets–"

It only took her a few minutes to strip the bed of the damp sheets and replace them with fresh cotton sheets. Then she helped Jed back on to the bed again and pulled his pajama pants off. Her green eyes suddenly glinted with amusement as she looked down at him. "Well, I guess I could give you a quick rub-down here too – but I'm not running the risk of sending your temperature sky-high again. So here–" she handed him the sponge and towel.

Jed grinned back at her. "Spoilsport. 101-one – and I'm still good to go!"

"And get all sweaty again? Forget it – I only date boys with normal temperatures!"

After she'd helped him to pull on the dry sweatpants and pulled up the crisp cotton sheet, she sat down on the side of the bed. "Feeling better now?"

"Feeling drier anyway," Jed commented. "But I'm thirsty."

"Yeah." Abbey reached for the flask of water she'd left earlier on the night stand and poured some into a glass. "Here." As Jed started to sip it, she went on, "No, drink it, Jed – you've lost a lot of fluid, you need to replace it otherwise you're gonna get dehydrated."

"And if I then want to pee – and I'm too wobbly to get to the bathroom?"

"Yeah, well, I'm sure we can find an antique vase somewhere in this joint!"

Jed started laughing. "Dolley Madison is probably turning in her grave right now at the thought of that." Then his face went serious again. "Any messages from Leo? Pakistan?"

Abbey hesitated. "No – things must have stayed quiet there–"

"But?"

"How did you know there was a 'but'?"

"Your face said it."

Abbey nodded. "Yeah."

"Abbey, what are you not telling me?"

"Well, at the risk of sending your temperature up again – Leo's Sierra Tucson record is in the public domain – it's on the internet."

Jed's face creased in sudden anguish. "Oh God."

"Yeah."

"So what're they doing about it?"

"Leo's gonna do a pre-emptive press conference tomorrow."

He nodded. "I need to be there."

"Jed, you have the flu–"

"I need to be there."

"Okay, we'll see how you are in the morning. You ready to go to sleep again?"

"You coming to bed too?"

"Yeah."

By the time Abbey had been for a shower, Jed was asleep. She slid into the bed beside him and, true to form, he turned over in his sleep and slipped his arm around her...

--

Abbey grabbed the phone when it rang at 6.30 a.m. "Okay, Lilly – thanks," she said softly into the phone. Easing herself out of bed carefully so as not to wake Jed, she looked down at him, and her heart contracted. He was still sleeping soundly – and, with his tousled hair falling over his forehead and his face so relaxed, he looked almost boyish. It was a look that always turned her on – but this morning she had to ignore the sudden yearning inside her. Instead, she put her hand very gently against his forehead. Definitely cooler, she thought – but they weren't out of the woods yet.

By the time she'd showered and dressed, it was seven fifteen and she had a breakfast meeting with her staff at seven thirty. Seeing that Jed was still asleep, she wrote a note – in large writing so that he'd be able to see it without having to find his glasses – saying 'I'll be back soon. Do NOT try to get up!'

Once she had reached her office, she called Charlie. "Charlie, the President's still asleep – and I've told the agents not to let anyone in the bedroom except you. You're gonna be the first one he will call – so if he does, would you go up there and wait with him until I get back?"

"Yeah, will do, ma'am. Er – any idea how long you will be?"

"About half an hour."

"Okay. What about Admiral Hackett?"

"Leave him to me. I'll call him once the President's awake."

"Okay, ma'am."

"Oh – and Charlie, what time is Leo's Press Conference?"

"I'm not sure, ma'am, but I can find out."

"Thanks, Charlie."

Abbey then forced herself to concentrate on her staff talking about their follow-up to the State of the Union, Heart Truth month and her forthcoming trip to Argentina, while they supped coffee and demolished a plate of bagels.

It was just after eight o'clock when the phone rang. Lilly picked it up, then handed it to Abbey. "It's Charlie," she said.

"Hey, Charlie," Abbey said.

"The President has just called," Charlie said. "He says he'll be down in the office in half an hour."

Abbey stood up. "It's okay, Charlie. I'm on my way. And can you get the kitchen to send some breakfast for him?"

"Yeah. And the Press Conference is scheduled for nine thirty. CJ, Sam and Josh are going through it with him now."

"Okay, thanks, Charlie." Putting the phone down, she turned to the staff. "I'm sorry. I have to leave. Lilly, can you take over – and then let me know–"

"Yes, of course," Lilly replied.

It only took Abbey a few minutes to get from the East Wing back to the Residence. As the agents opened the bedroom door for her, she saw immediately that Jed was sitting up in bed and was already on the phone.

She waited, hands on hips, until he put the phone down – and then he looked round at her, his face a picture of mock-innocence. "What?" he asked.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Talking to Toby about the speech." He grinned suddenly. "My orders were to stay in bed – which, as you can see, I have obeyed – but there were no orders not to use the phone!"

Abbey gave a sigh of exasperation. "Jed, you have the flu–"

"I still have a brain and a voice – and the State of the Union is tomorrow night, in case you've forgotten."

"Okay." Abbey relaxed slightly. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better than yesterday."

Abbey picked up her medical bag and walked round the bed. Taking out the thermometer, she held it out to him.

"Oh God, do we have to?"

"Yes," she said firmly.

"Okay."

Jed opened his mouth for the thermometer and gave her a comical look as she climbed on to the bed beside him to wait for it to register. She pulled her stethoscope out of her bag and put it round her neck.

Eventually, she pulled the thermometer out and looked at it. "Well, the good news is your temperature's gone down."

"Can I go to the office?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It hasn't gone down enough, and it's gonna go back up again."

"Why?"

Abbey resisted the temptation to tell him that he sounded like a five year old asking if he could go out to play. She put the earpieces of her stethoscope to her ears. "'Cause you have the flu." Pushing him forward slightly, she put her hand on his shoulder as she put the chest piece to his back and listened.

Jed leaned forward, his arms stretched out in front of him. "Here's the thing though," he said casually, "I never really saw you study while you were in med school."

Abbey ignored him. "Deep breath," she ordered.

"Do you even know what you're listening for right now?" He still took the breath she'd demanded.

"Do you know how many other people I could have married?" Abbey retorted, half exasperated with him – but half relieved that he was well enough to banter with her, as he always did when she was in what he called 'doctor mode'.

Jed let out his breath again. "How many?"

"Shhh," she said as she continued to listen, and then breathed an inward sigh of relief herself that there were no signs of any chest infection and that they could rule out pneumonia.

"I'm going to the office," Jed said.

Abbey finished with the stethoscope. "Okay," she said lightly.

He looked round at her in surprise. "Really?"

She waved her arm casually. "Feel free!"

Then she watched him, knowing full well that he wasn't going to get far – but knowing too that he had to find it out for himself.

"Okay," he said, pushing the blanket to one side and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

Abbey permitted herself a small smile when he tried to stand up, wobbled a bit and then sat down again, saying "Uh-oh!"

"Anything else?" she asked lightly.

Jed lifted himself back on to the bed again and grimaced. "All right. I think I'll stay here for a little bit."

"Okay," she said, as she flung the blankets back over his legs again.

Then she looked at him. "Stop trying to be super-human, Jed. You've got the flu – it'll take time."

"Yeah." He leaned back against the pillow with a sigh. "But Leo's gonna be doing that Press Conference this morning – and I should be with him."

"CJ and the staff are with him – and he'll do fine." She glanced at her watch. "Charlie said the Press Conference is at nine thirty. He's also sending up some breakfast for you."

"I'm not hungry," Jed said.

"Okay – but you can see if there's anything you fancy when they bring the cart."

"Yeah," Jed hesitated for a moment then looked at her. "You're still scared, aren't you, Abbey?"

Her eyes held his. "Yes," she admitted. "Jed, you still have a raised temperature – and fever can–"

"I know." He looked away and then said quietly, "I was scared too. Last night – when I called you – when I said I was just calling so you wouldn't find out about it from someone else – I was lying."

"I know. Why the hell do you think I came back?"

He gave her a small smile. "I needed you back here, Abbey – I needed you because I just didn't know if it was gonna trigger something else–"

"It still could, Jed – your temperature's not right yet."

"Oh God, don't say that." He hesitated again. "Hackett wants me to go to Bethesda for tests–"

"I think I can probably dissuade him. There's no reason to suspect a heart attack – and I'm sure it's not pneumonia either."

"But would a chest X-ray–?"

Abbey shook her head. "No. Come on, Jed, you have a check-up every month – and a full medical every six months, you know that MS doesn't show up in ordinary medical tests. It needs a full MRI or MRS scan – and even then it can be missed."

Jed nodded and then sighed. "It's like living on a knife-edge sometimes, isn't it – waiting and wondering if someone's gonna find out?"

Abbey turned to him. "We made that decision, Jed – we decided to say nothing – we knew then and we know now that the whole thing could come back and hit us in the face."

"Yeah." Then he gave her his small grin. "But maybe not this time, huh?"

She put out her hand to take his. "I'm just keeping everything crossed at the moment – but the doctor in me won't relax until your temperature's back to normal again."

Jed turned to kiss her – a soft kiss that suddenly became harder – until a knock at the door announced the arrival of the breakfast cart.

TBC