After Maureen stormed out Elizabeth went upstairs. Henry waited only a few minutes before following is wife upstairs. "Lizabeth, you ok?"
She looked at him teary eyed, "I just couldn't stand her attacking you."
Henry nodded, "I didn't mind. In that moment you seemed like my wife."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, "I am your wife."
Henry nodded, "I know. But tonight you where the fiery Elizabeth Adams that I fell in love with."
Elizabeth smiled. "It felt better than I expected. For the first time in a long time I don't feel like a victim. Standing up for myself. I don't know why I didn't do it sooner. I feel human." She stood up to meet Henry's gaze.
Henry's heart leapt as her smile lit up the room. "God Elizabeth, I know this has been hard for you. Not just the prison stuff. But this, my dad's death, my sister attacking you, my huge crazy family. But mostly how I treated you. I let you down. And I just want you to know that I am sorry. And I love you."
Elizabeth moved to hug him. She had liked hugging him the past few days. It made her feel safe and it made her feel like she could comfort him. She appreciated hugs as a way to relay comfort when words were not enough. She pulled back slightly to look in her husband and suddenly felt the need to kiss him.
The kiss was tender and sweet.
Afterwards Elizabeth hugged him and started to cry. "I love you." She whispered. She had missed all these feelings she suppressed. The love, the feeling of safety.
They could sense that this was a turning point in their relationship. And so the celebrated like true McCord's, with a game of Scrabble.
~~Madam Secretary~~
Their relationship improved significantly as the weeks wore on. Elizabeth felt more normal every day. But she felt so much guilt over her confrontation with Maureen. She had needed to standup for herself, but in the process she felt as though she shut down a woman with her own strong convictions.
She started writing. It was a letter to Maureen at first. But after that it was a letter to Shane, and then Erin and Will. Then everyone else.
Every moment of her life found its way to paper after that. Reflecting on everything changed her perspective. It gave her closure. She felt stronger. She felt like Elizabeth McCord, a woman with strong convictions.
Even as her emotional perspective changed her relationship with Henry had as well. But only to a point. It was slower to develop and they had their setbacks. But on a celebratory one year out of prison trip they finally consummated their marriage for the first time in years. It wasn't wonderful. But it wasn't terrible and it progressed from there. Heeling was difficult. But the book helped, reflecting on her life, her time as Secretary of State and why convictions where so important.
Writing Elizabeth's book was a personal private process for her but it came very easily. It was its own form of therapy. She reflected on her relationships with the people in her life like never before. She rebuilt her relationship with Maureen and dedicated an entire chapter to her in-laws and how much they impacted her idea of family. The book had been well received and she had done some guest speaking across the country since its release.
Elizabeth had gotten a lot of questions about her marriage and after sitting down to talk with Henry they started tossing around book ideas.
The book The Strongest of Convictions was born of their collective thoughts on how their convictions developed to the point of being willing to go to prison and the trust that was built between the two. They had everything but the ending. But Henry had a secret plan for that.
"Scrabble is set up how's the popcorn?" Henry called out finishing out the touches on his scrabble board.
"5 more minutes." She called from the other room.
Henry couldn't wait anymore. "Come here and wait with me? Otherwise I am gonna be tempted to pick my tiles without you."
Elizabeth laughed, "You think that will give you an edge? It hasn't helped the last 7 times we played."
He laughed, "I defiantly have the advantage this time."
Elizabeth walked in the room and saw that there where letters on the board. "Henry did you start without me?" Her voice crackled at the end when she saw the tiles on the board.
"Mar Me Elibet"
Henry dropped to one knee. "Elizabeth, this is the way I should have proposed the first time around. The skywriter was a bad and desperate idea but I am so glad it worked. I want to renew our vows. Do it the way we always wanted. We went through hell and came out the other side stronger. So Elizabeth Adams McCord, will you marry me again?" He held out her ring the same one that no longer fit since her prison.
She smiled she loved her engagement ring. It was Henry's great-grandmother's. "Well same ring…"
Henry laughed, as she leaned in for a kiss. "yes?"
Elizabeth smiled. "yes!"
~~~Madam Secretary~~~
A few months later on their wedding anniversary they renewed their vows in a quiet ceremony adding a third band to her engagement and wedding band. The wedding was everything she had imagined and that night they revealed their book to their closest friends and family.
The journey had nearly broken them. But they had come out of the other side with the Strongest of Convictions. Elizabeth didn't regret the time she had spent in prison. It had strengthened her family and her husband in unexpected ways. But it also changed the way the American Public viewed positions of power. It was more human. She had changed security measures.
She had done what she set out to do. She made a difference. And she and Henry would continue to do that as authors, teachers, and speakers. She always said that together she and Henry would change the world.
It may have been unconventional. But they did change the world.
I think this is it for this story. I had to rush to the end because of some personal stuff. But I have a story about Jason and his wife Elliana that I have been toying with. I might do a little how they met one shot or something about E&H in college.
Thanks for all the support! You guys rock! Let me know what you think!