Chapter 2: The Night Before

The night before the Vice President's wedding, Emily was sequestered in the Oval Office at the White House. Aaron, her husband-to-be, was being kept separated from her at Number 1 Naval Observatory, the Vice President's official residence.

The wedding was to be held the next morning in the Rose Garden, followed by a reception in the East Room. President Kirkman, as was his style, had taken care of nearly everything, while seeking plenty of advice from the couple. According to aides, he was busy re-writing segments of his sermon while flying back to Washington aboard Air Force One.

Which meant that Emily was on baby-sitting duty, watching Penny and Leo.

Emily's Flower Girl was presently asleep in her lap, having dozed off to Emily stroking her hair. Leo had moved his computer, piano and synthesizer from his room and was working just off the Resolute Desk, home from college for the weekend to help celebrate. The First Son had gladly volunteered to be the Ring Bearer, Aaron biting back his belief that the boy was too tall.

"What are you working on?" Emily glanced up from where she was stroking Penny's head.

"Arrangement for the acapella group," Leo answered without even turning his head. He had always been passionate about music, while being an OK student. "We have a shot at nationals this year." A slight lull of silence before he queried, "Where's Dad coming back from again?"

"Black tie function. Coeur D'alene, Idaho. There's a surprising number of Independents there."

Leo smirked, the blue light from his laptop dancing off his face. Emily quietly observed him. Despite having some struggles adjusting to life in the White House at first, he had mellowed. Grown up. After the motorcade accident, she had feared he would regress in his grief, but he had stepped up for the sake of Penny and his dad. She glanced back down at the little First Daughter.

"Does Penny miss her?"

"Miss who?" Leo grunted, as if he didn't know.

"Her mother."

Leo finally looked askance at her, his expression pained. And despite the fact that he shared blood with Jeffrey Myers - still serving time for tax evasion - Emily swore she saw flashes of Tom Kirkman. In the hard glint of Leo's eyes. The set of his jaw.

"I... uh... We don't talk about it," Leo admitted at last. Coutenance shaken, he attempted to return to his arranging, tapping out a B flat on the keyboard. Frowning he corrected himself. C... C... C... A minor... F... F... F...

"Leo..." Emily's soft voice compelled him to look at her. "I'm not your mother. But... if you ever needed some... motherly advice... I'm here to..." her voice trailed off.

Leo smiled, shakily laughed, averting his gaze in that typical teenager way. "Yeah, sure. Thanks, Em. Though to be honest, I don't think you're even old enough to be my mother."

"Well, in that case, Leo, the concept of teenage pregnancy would like to have a word with you." Seth entered the Oval bearing a tray of lemonade. Emily smirked, and squeezed his hand in thanks as the Communications Director passed her a glass. He bent low to whisper in her ear:

"AF1 is over Indiana. VPOTUS is getting antsy. Last I heard from Lyor, he tried to sneak out through the Observatory's dumbwaiter, but the Secret Service caught him."

Emily's heart fluttered. "Missing me that much?"

"Apparently," Seth shrugged. She chucked a pillow at his head. Seth just shushed her, silently pointing to Penny. "She's asleep! Why don't you put her to bed?"

Emily nodded, scooping Penny up in her arms and staggering slightly under the little girl's weight. God, she was getting so big.

"F...F... F... G...G7... Oh, fuck it, I'll help you, Emily," Leo abandoned his piano to take Penny's feet, and they carried her together further down the West Wing to her room...