I'm sorry I haven't been there for you guys lately." Margaret apologizes to Simon later that afternoon as she walks with him down the hallway of the Children's National medical center.
"That's fine, you need to worry about your baby and Leo." Simon excuses. "How's Leo doing?"
"Getting better everyday, he'll be able to come home by the end of the month." Margaret says enthusiastically.
"What about you?" Margaret asks hoping for good news.
"We've just had to choose a new physician, the one who was treating Emma has gone to another hospital, but the good news is she should be able to go home by the end of the month as well."
"Is choosing a new physician a hassle?" Margaret queries.
"It's just going over all the things we've asked ourselves before. What sort of track record does this person have for chemo treatment with children the same age as Emma. Do we feel comfortable with this person, do we get on, and do we have confidence in them? We did the same with this hospital, are they part of a pediatric oncology group, do they have a treatment team and a specialized oncology physician, what facilities are available for Emma and us. What is the hospitals visitation policy, can we stay the night if need be, how do they deal with chemotherapy side effects. It's part of the reason why we didn't start chemotherapy right away, other than it wasn't necessary for a few months, but CJ wanted to have everyone F.B.I. checked just about." Simon explains.
"And I guess there's cost." Margaret adds.
"CJ nearly fainted when she found out it's a hundred and fifty thousand." Simon says seriously.
"You're kidding?" Margaret says seriously.
"No and a bone marrow transplant is two hundred and fifty thousand."
"I don't want to pry but are you and CJ ok?" Margaret asks carefully, Simon stops walking and looks at Margaret with sad eyes making heart beat at the prospect it might not be the best answer.
"We're best friends and each others greatest source of strength." Simon says honestly. "I don't know what I ever did without her."
*
Gently and lovingly Leo takes Margaret's left nipple into his mouth sucking at it while fondling with the other between his fingers. Margaret sighs at his loving touch as he pulls his shirt from his back kissing his way down her abdomen.
"It's been too long." Leo says crawling back up her changing body to look her in the eyes.
"You're better now." Margaret dismisses cradling his head as he sucks gently at her other nipple and something in her brain clicks. It's only for a few seconds that Margaret manages to contain her laughter before it rings out through the silent room.
"Never had a woman do this to me before." Leo says looking up at her and a little put out.
"I'm so sorry." Margaret says continuing to smile widely.
"You want to let me in on the joke?" Leo asks impatiently.
"The last time I went to see Ella Reid she told me I had to start preparing my nipples for breast feeding so they are more flexible and are less likely to crack while the baby sucks. She told me I could roll them between my forefinger and thumb a few times or I could get you to suck them when we make love and here you are doing just that."
"So I'm...what here?" Leo asks confused.
"I just wanted to warn you before you got colostrum in your mouth." Margaret laughs.
"So I'm supposed to do this?" Leo asks taking one of Margaret's nipples back in his mouth again.
"Mmmm Hmmm." Margaret says unable to come up with anything more coherent.
"I'm liking this pregnancy thing." Leo replies continuing the nipple preparation.
*
"I was talking to CJ today." Margaret continues slicing for the meal she's preparing.
"Good to see Jack's working you hard." It's fast approaching Margaret's sixth month of pregnancy and the inevitable inability to hide it was upon her. Not that she wanted to, Leo's home still on oxygen but he's home and that meant Ginger and Toby went home and Margaret went back to work. It was irrelevant that when the alarm went off at six she faced a twelve hour day, for the past month or so as Leo was laid up in bed, Margaret felt useless. Abbey had come past to say hello, or check up on her as she had labeled it.
"She said Emma's finally into consolidation chemotherapy, CJ's back working a couple of days and Emma is having her chemo put into her central nervous system to knock out those last few cells and prevent them spreading."
"Life is almost normal." Leo quips and lets the room fall back into silence except the sound of Margaret at the cutting board.
"I talked to Jed today." Leo begins and it catches Margaret's attention because Leo never refers to The President by his first name. She puts the knife down slowly turning to face him.
"I talked to him about retiring." Leo says slowly and Margaret looks down to her stomach. "Passing the baton."
"To Jack Callan?" Margaret questions holding back the cringe that wants to come out.
"No to Josh, with Jack as deputy." Leo offers.
"Is it what you want?" Margaret asks coming to sit next to Leo at the table.
"Of course not." Leo laughs.
"You had one setback, you had a month off, it's probably done you good." Margaret offers.
"I thought you'd jump at the chance to have me home all the time."
"I just want what's best for you." Margaret says sealing it with a kiss.