Blake Moran quietly surveyed the room. They had set up in the main lodge, which was generally reserved for the President, but as he wasn't currently at Camp David, it had the best space for their meetings. He was surprised that the McCord family hadn't chosen to stay in the Aspen Lodge - they certainly were in a position to take advantage of the best Camp David had to offer. But then again, his experience was that the McCord family wasn't interested in taking advantage of anything. He glanced at the watch on his wrist, and saw that it was getting late.
Nadine's voice seemed to drone on and on, and he glanced over at Madam Secretary who was staring at the window. Following her line of sight, he could see that she was watching her husband toss a football back and forth with Jason McCord. The room felt heavy with boredom and weariness.
"Madam Secretary," He interrupted, keeping his voice soft and polite. "It is nearly 4:00, and as per our agreement, no work can go beyond 3:45."
"Blake, we are in the middle of . . ." Jay protested.
"By order of the President." He added, and the room grew silent.
"Well, the President isn't here, just now, Blake." Secretary McCord said, turning and rising. She stretched as she stood, and turned to face her staff. "Ten more minutes, Nadine, and then we are calling it a day."
Blake hesitated, a protest on his lips, but reconsidered. Battling with Elizabeth McCord was no small thing, and after all, who was he to tell her how long she ought to work. She stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his arm.
"Don't worry, Blake. President Dalton isn't tracking your every move. Do me a favor and go outside and tell Dr. McCord, I get the hint and that I will be out in about fifteen minutes."
"Yes, ma'am." Blake nodded his head, and turned to go outside, but she called to him.
"And tell him to go ahead and get the volleyball court ready. Staff versus family in thirty minutes." She winked at him.
"Oh, dear, ma'am." He began remembering his sad previous volleyball performance. "Surely, I've been humiliated enough?"
"Don't worry, Blake," She stepped closer to him, whispering dramatically. "You get to play on Team McCord."
***MS***
"Fred Cole!" Elizabeth shouted joyfully, rising from the dinner table. Her staff and family had assembled around the large dining table in Aspen Lodge. They had just been served a dessert of ice cream sundaes and coffee, when Fred Cole stepped into the lodge. Elizabeth rose from where she was sitting and crossed to where he stood near the doorway.
"Madam Secretary." He nodded curtly. "Dr. McCord." He added seeing Henry, who had also crossed the room to meet him.
"That's no way to be!" Elizabeth said, pulling the tall agent into a hug.
He accepted the embrace with grace, but stepping back from her said, "Madam Secretary, you are completely destroying any credibility I had with your staff."
"Oh, who cares about them." She waved them away with her hand. "Do you want some ice cream?"
"No, ma'am, but I was hoping to review our plans for the rest of the week."
"How is the arm?" Henry asked him. "That must be a world-record recovery."
"World-record recovery from what?" Elizabeth asked, her brows wrinkled.
"It's nothing Madam Secretary." Fred dodged. "You plan to leave the day after tomorrow, correct?"
"Don't try and change the subject." Her tone was sharp, and she turned to her husband. "Henry? What did you forget to tell me?"
"Now, that I think about it, babe, I may have misspoken." Henry attempted.
Fred sighed heavily. "You, of all people, should know that won't work." He turned toward Elizabeth. "I had surgery on my arm."
"You were injured worse than you admitted?" She asked, her face suddenly pale.
"It wasn't like that, ma'am. We were hoping to avoid surgery, but it didn't heal properly. It isn't anything to be concerned about. It is taken care of now, and I was requalified just this morning."
"Nothing to be concerned about!" Her eyes grew wide. "You were hurt because of . . ."
"A madman." Henry said, cutting her off.
"He's right, ma'am. It had nothing to do with you. It's just part of the job, and you don't need to be worried. The qualification process is rigorous. I am fully capable of managing any situation."
"As if I'm worried about that!" She shook her head. "Really, you are ridiculous." She sighed, turning to Henry, but he remained silent. "I'm sorry you were hurt, Fred."
"It wasn't your fault, ma'am." His voice was gentle, and suddenly the room felt too warm. Henry reached out squeezing her arm as Fred said this, but she stepped away from them both. They followed her outside onto the porch.
"Madam Secretary?" Fred asked, a look of concern on his face. She smiled up at him, and glanced at Henry, who stood beside him.
"You are right, of course. It's not our fault we were nearly blown to bits."
"Yes, ma'am." Fred agreed, and Henry's smile grew wide.
"It only took you seven weeks, four days and," Henry glanced at his watch. "About 6 and 1/2 hours to figure that out."
"Well, I'm no marine." She said with a self-decpricating laugh. Henry moved closer, sliding an arm around her. They both looked up at Fred who faced them.
"I'm just pleased that you are alright." Agent Cole said to her. "I'm not sure I can go back to gaurding politicians. It would be so dull."
Elizabeth laughed, and stepping away from Henry, reached out to put a hand on Fred's arm. "I was just wondering if your wife would mind if I gave you a kiss." She smiled up at him, her eyes bright.
"Not unless, it bothers Dr. McCord." Fred said glancing at Henry.
"Oh, no." Henry said with a laugh. "It doesn't bother me. I already gave Fred a kiss."
She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, Fred blushed, and ducked his head, and Elizabeth stepped back, as Henry slid a strong arm around her shoulders, giving them a gentle, affection squeeze.
"Well," Fred said, after a long pause. "I suppose we left appropriate boundaries far behind."
"Yes." She agreed. "I suppose you could say they were blown to bits."
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded his head. "And about that note you sent. It wasn't necessary. I understood."
"Still, I shouldn't have cursed at you like that." She said blushing. "It wasn't your fault that Henry refused protection."
"Liz, what did you . . ."
"I was angry, Henry." She said pointedly, an edge of anger in her voice. "I told you that."
"But it wasn't Fred's fault!"
"Well, you were in Georgetown rushing a deranged kid with a semi-automatic weapon, and Fred, well, he was standing next to me - in the line of fire." She grinned sheepishly at this.
"That's alright, Mr. McCord, I'm used to it. Like I said, just another day at the office." He reached out and squeezed Elizabeth's arm. "If there's nothing else, Madam Secretary, my men and I will set up a plan for departure."
"Yes, thank you, Agent Cole." Her voice was all business, and Henry had to laugh at the sound of Bess, in action, but she winked at Fred as she said it.
"You're welcome, ma'am." He nodded at Henry. "Thank you, Dr. McCord."
They stood together a moment on the porch. After a few minutes, Henry slid an arm around her shoulders and said, "You cursed him out?"
"Yes." She said, blushing. "I felt an unholy rage." She shrugged her shoulders, and faced him. "Just be glad you weren't nearby."
"Yes, ma'am." He agreed.
***MS***
Henry awoke to find the bed beside him empty. Rubbing his eyes, he climbed out of bed, a padded barefoot out into the main room of the cabin. Glancing around, he couldn't see Elizabeth anywhere, and so he continued out onto the wide porch. He glanced around, his eyes adjusting to the moonlight, and saw her in the distance.
They'd had a last bonfire, and one last movie under the stars. It wasn't as perfect as the night they'd introduced Jason to Star Wars. They were surrounded by her staff, and the kids seemed more than ready to return to the world that included more than just their parents. The bonfire had been doused, but she stood now by the embers which glowed out in the darkness of the midnight sky.
"What's a matter, baby?" He asked, as he crossed to her. "Can't sleep?"
"Just restless." She said smiling, and turning to him. "I'm sorry I woke you."
He shrugged his shoulders, and stepping closer wrapped his arms around her from behind. She immediately leaned back against him, her hands on his arms.
"So," He said softly. "Back to the city."
"Yes."
"You ready?"
She drew in a deep breath, pausing to consider the question. "I am. You?"
"Well, I'm never ready to send you back into the world, but I can stick it out a little bit longer. This world-leader nonsense is just for now, not for always, right?" He kissed her cheek. "But, babe, you gotta work on that not getting blown up part of things."
"I'll give it a try." She said with a laugh. "But only if you promise to lay off the Super Hero Routine."
"I'll do my best."
She said nothing else and he kept his arms around her as they stood together looking up into a night strewn with stars. After a time, a cool breeze picked up and she shivered in his arms.
"You're cold." He whispered. "Let's go back to bed." He turned to go, but she held onto his arm, stopping him.
"Henry,"
"What?" He turned to face her, his brows furrowed.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I know it makes it difficult for you and I would never have taken the job if . . ."
He was quiet a moment, but then turned to face her, his hands on her shoulders. "You know, Thomas Aquinas said . . ." He began, and she ducked her head laughing.
"Somehow, it always comes back to him."
"He said," Henry continued, ignoring her jab. "'A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brains is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands, and his brains, and his heart is an artist.'"
"And what does that mean?" She asked, leaning back to look up into his face.
"It means," He explained quietly. "That you, Elizabeth McCord, are an artist, and all of this will be forever remembered as your greatest work." This tremendous compliment left her temporarily speechless, and smiling he kissed her.
He led her inside, and she was happy to snuggle down under the warm blankets, and into his warm embrace, but later, as she watched the sky grow bright with streaks of red and gold, she thought again about what he'd said.
"Henry?" She whispered to him.
"Hmmm?" He murmured sleepily.
"It won't be what I did in Washington that will be my," She paused, correcting herself, "Our greatest work."
He rolled over on his side, opening his eyes. "What then?"
"This." She said moving back into his arms. "You and me. We lived it and we survived it, and we are still here together." She tilted her head back to lift her face to his, her lips brushing his. "We are making something that will last longer than just these difficult days of service. Something that will last longer than just for now."
***MS***
Author's Note:
Well, they killed Fred which kind of messes up my story. And also, I really liked him. I put my money on the wrong guy, but I guess I should have known. Henry has mentioned Frank by name at least three times, and never Fred.
I originally thought of this story as happening after this season, but now it fits nowhere within the time frame. I could go back and change Ali to 15 which would put this before Liz being practically blown to bits in Iran. I am still in recovery from THAT whole mess! And I am happy that we at long last got to hear Henry actually tell Elizabeth that he loves her - but HE HAS STILL NEVER CALLED HER BY NAME. The whole Bess/Liz thing perplexes me.
Of course, I'm still in recovery from the latest episode and anxious to see next weeks. Watching Henry cry just about did me in. And believe it or not, I've still got one chapter left, if you can manage to read just a smidge more. Thanks for the reviews.