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Claire bit her lip as she looked at the multiple news stories circulating around the internet about James' disappearance. She peered at Francis over her glasses when he emerged in his pajamas from the attached bathroom. "The media is going crazy with this. Look at this. Russian Spies Steal Underwood Daughter as Political Strategy."
"That wouldn't be a horrible idea." Francis sighed, but let out a chuckle. "I'd be willing to resign as President if it came to a choice of her life and something else." He sat down of the other side of the bed, his body relaxing on the mattress. "This is it, Clare. Our baby. . .she isn't just ours anymore. She's partially Doug's. And, I'm afraid of who she'll choose if it ever comes to that day."
Claire reached out and rubbed his back. "Francis, don't think like that. You can't work without Doug, and neither can this office. Besides, now is not the time to think about what ifs. It's just a weakness. A liability. Something we cannot afford in the position we're in. We can't let anything infiltrate what we've built, Francis. Not even Doug. At this point, he's an asset of ours, and an asset of James'. She knows what she's doing."
Francis laid back against the bed, glancing over at the laptop that sat open on her lap. "Walker invites Underwoods to White House. Underwood Kidnapper under the President's Nose." He grinned, humming his amusement. "These are good."
"The media works in mysterious ways." Claire chuckled. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Get some sleep. We need to be distraught parents tomorrow."
Francis slipped under the covers, waiting for Claire to join him as she powered down on computer. "She is our only weakness, Claire. Look at our careers over the years. Whenever somebody has tried to manipulate us, it's been over James. Her grades, her life, her bond with us as a daughter. Nearly every one of our enemies has tried to destroy her to destroy us."
Claire slid under his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "That's what we're doing to Garrett."
"James is a good kid." Francis reminded her.
Claire rubbed his chest with her hand, sighing softly as she closed her eyes. "Despite all of those people, look at who our next President will be. Those people who wanted to end James, they will end at her mercy when she's in office. When we're all in office. . .they will beg." She felt his lips press against her hairline. "We've made it this far. We're close to the finish line."
"Then, we start over." Francis breathed.
Doug looked through his paperwork when James walked in and sat down next to him on the couch. She leaned close to him, resting her chin on his shoulder to look at the coffee table with his materials. "What's this for?"
"I'm trying to figure out how to get you into. . .well, you know, the best way possible without it really leading back to anybody but Gordon." Doug breathed, looking over his papers. "They have a gala in two days. With all those people inside the White House, attention around the President's residence will be lacking."
"If we make it look like a delivery truck could've brought me in, we'd just need something to tie me to it." James whispered. She glanced over the papers once more before running her thumb along Doug's jaw, catching his attention. "We don't need to figure this out now. It's almost midnight. Let's go to bed, spend as much time there as possible before this whole thing blows up and we're in the White House."
Doug grinned, kissing her hard, before pressing his forehead to hers. "Once this is all over, we'll have to distance ourselves around everyone. You'll need the recovery time, an adjustment period of sorts."
James smiled when he wrapped his arm around her, letting her curl into his side. He rested his chin on top of her head. "A girl always wants her hero around. It would look normal to everybody for me to want you around. We just need to watch our behavior. I'm still a minor by law, and the details that will be revealed will be horrifying."
"Are you sure it has to go that far? I get what we're doing is preparing for that, but-" Doug started, but James cut him off by cupping his face in her hands.
"It has to be this way."
"Our invitation has been forwarded. Garrett would like Doug to come stay at the White House as well to help us cope through this trying time." Claire smiled as she pressed Francis's phone to her ear. "Your father has taken this role on with enthusiasm. He can finally blow up at Garrett like he's wanted to for the past two years."
James chuckled as she sat on Doug's bed, looking at the media stories on his computer. "I'm glad I could give him an early birthday present." She clicked on a new story, seeing the bizarre headlines that seemed to be plaguing the internet. "Some journalists are really taking this story out of hand. I mean, 'James Underwood abducted by serial killer'. There isn't even proof that I've been killed."
Claire rolled her eyes. "I know. I've been ignoring my phone all day. Even some of the cabinet has been calling to ask what we know." She sat down on the bed, picking up her shoes and slipping them onto her feet. "The police have told us not to talk to anybody and or let them what we know. Since they know it's someone in the White House, they don't want to take chances with tipping off your kidnapper."
"If only they knew." James whispered before glancing over at Doug's sleeping form next to her. "We were looking at the gala as our point of entry."
"It would be easy to sneak something passed security, especially with the amount of people being invited to that. Garrett has invited us, but your father and I won't be attending the event." Claire agreed with her. She stood up and walked over to the window, looking out at the front lawn. "How are things going? I mean, I don't need the details, because I'm well aware of what you're doing, but how are you holding up?"
James closed Doug's laptop, leaning back against the headboard. "Right now, I'm happy, but I'm nervous to see Gordon again. I have a backup plan for my backup plan, and I'm not worried about it backfiring. It's just those few minutes where I'll be face to face with Gordon again."
Claire sucked in a deep breath. "It won't be easy. I can tell you that much." She moved the sheer curtain aside to see the crowd of people holding up signs for James outside the fence. "What about Meechum?"
"I've made my peace with it." James sighed before Doug moved closer to her, his eyes now fully open. He crawled over her legs, kissing her stomach through her shirt. His hands grabbed at both sides of her waist, causing him to moan when he realized his only barrier wasn't there. "At the end of the day, I won't regret that decision."
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