Note: This story started out as a piece of sweet, fluffy fan fiction that I wrote to use two flashbacks for. But it quickly became an origin story of sorts for the immediate Bartlet Family as they prepare to welcome their daughter and sister, Felicity. At its core, this is a story about love and how complicated it can be to love other people, especially family.

The story begins at the start of the Bartlet Administration and follows the characters as they grapple with welcoming the first baby born to a sitting President since 1963 It ends around the time of the TWW pilot. The choice to set it this way wasn't made lightly. I actually resisted it at first, but it inspired quite the story.

Thank you, Aaron Sorkin for creating these characters and to the actors who breathed life into them. I had fun playing with them. But they aren't mine and remain the property of their respective rights holders. (Except for Felicity.)

Enjoy!

Tuesday February 16, 1999

Four Days After President Bartlet's First State of the Union

Morning

Abbey Bartlet walked through the West Wing heading towards CJ Cregg's office. She had an excellent relationship with CJ and trusted her expertise when it came to matters of PR and the press. Jed had wanted to talk with CJ as a couple and was a little more than irritated that Abbey wanted to do this alone. But she knew that this was not going to be as simple as breaking the news. CJ was an excellent press secretary and had a keen sense of the media. Abbey needed to call on that expertise if there was any hope of pulling off this plan.

Abbey approached the open door of CJ's office and knocked on the door frame, "CJ?"

CJ looked up and smiled, "Hello Ma'am," She said, standing and coming around the desk to greet her. "Come in."

Abbey stepped inside and closed the door behind her, "Thank you."

CJ gestured for her to sit and the two women took a seat on her sofa. "You mentioned on the phone that you needed to come up with a strategy for something of a sensitive nature?"

"Yes, CJ I do," Abbey began. "The President wanted to be in on this discussion as well. But I have some thoughts about what I'd like to do. Before we get into a larger discussion, I'd like to know what your honest thoughts are."

"Okay. Let's start with the issue at hand," CJ replied.

"I'm pregnant, CJ."

CJ opened her mouth to say something. But nothing came out. Thoughts began racing through her mind. Initially, she thought she hadn't heard the First Lady correctly. But then her mind flashed on the President. Ever since their first full day in office after the inauguration, Jed Bartlet seemed to have an extra pep in his step. At first, the senior staff all assumed that he was thrilled about the start of his term and motivated to get things done. But the honeymoon phase was already starting to wear off for most of them. The same couldn't be said for the President. In fact, he seemed positively gleeful this morning.

"Congratulations," CJ managed to say after a moment. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I assume this is why the President has been so... chipper lately?"

Abbey smiled, "It has quite a lot to do with it, yes. He's been quite the proud peacock, hasn't he? That's not to say that the President and I don't have our fears about all of this," She said as her smile faded slightly.

"Ma'am, there's nothing wrong is there?"

"No, no," Abbey said quickly. "I'm perfectly healthy and so is the baby, for the moment. I had a prenatal cell-free DNA screening done the morning of the State of the Union and the results came back earlier today. It was all normal. So, we're moving ahead with telling the girls tonight."

"Oh wow," CJ said. "So am I the first to know?"

"Technically, you're the second person to know after Jed, Millie, and my medical team. I had to tell Alex before the DAR Ball."

4 Weeks Earlier...

Inauguration Eve

Millicent Griffith sat at her desk in her new office, trying to focus on the briefing book in front of her. Boxes littered her office. Out of consideration for her successor, the still serving Surgeon General was working in an office down the hall. With the inauguration the next day, he cleared out the office a few days earlier, so she could start moving in.

They had just adjourned for lunch, and she was currently waiting for the First Lady to show up. Millie and Abbey's friendship stretched all the way back to college and medical school, a well-publicized fact at this point. It wasn't necessarily unusual for them to have lunch together. But Millie found it strange that Abbey wanted to see her on today of all days.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" She called.

The door opened and Abbey stepped inside before closing the door behind her.

"The office suits you," She noted with pride.

"Thank you. Apologies for the mess. Things have been hectic lately."

Abbey waived it off, "Please, everything is in a state of flux right now.

"So what's going on?" Millie asked as she and Abbey took a seat at the conference table. "I know this isn't about lunch."

"I need to talk to you about something," Abbey admitted, her nerves flaring up. "You would be the first person to know. I haven't even told Jed yet."

Concern showed in Millie's face, "What is it, Abbey?"

"I need you to draw labs for me. I was going to go have them done. But I'd rather not risk Jed or the girls finding out inadvertently if it's nothing."

"Okay," Millie said. "I take it you have an idea of what you want me to test for?"

"Millie, I think I'm pregnant."

Millie looked momentarily surprised, but then her expression softened, "You're not one to think," She pointed out.

"No," Abbey admitted. "I'm 99% positive that I am. But the thought of confirming it scares me. If it is true, I have to tell Jed, and he'll be over the moon and then-It's the absolute worst time for it too."

"Babies are known for terrible timing," Millie said dryly and stood up. "Come on, best friend. Let's go see what we're dealing with."

90 minutes later, Abbey was sitting in an exam room in another part of the HSS building. It was part of a clinic used for on-site care and testing of employees. She was waiting for Millie to return from getting the results from the lab. This day felt like one of the longest of her life. But she needed to know whether it was about to become even more complicated. The door opened and Millie came back in with a file in her hand.

""Well?" Abbey asked rising.

Millie handed her the file wordlessly and then sat in the chair next to the one that Abbey occupied. Abbey opened the file and scanned the results sheet inside. She let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding and took her seat again.

"I take it that this wasn't planned?" Millie asked after a minute.

"The exact opposite, actually. We decided to start trying again in June. This was supposed to be our plan after Jed left office because we didn't think he win."

"Abbey...why didn't you say anything?"

"Jed and I decided to keep it between us because the chances that we would conceive were low at best," Abbey said and let out a shaky breath. "I've been terrified to say anything for the last three weeks, even to Jed."

Let's have a quick look and see where you are," She suggested after a moment.

Abbey looked over at her friend, "Now?"

"We have the equipment," she said pointing to an ultrasound machine.

In the span of about 10 minutes, Abbey found herself lying on the exam table with her the bottom of her blouse undone along with the top of her trousers to let Millie get a complete view. Millie applied the gel to her stomach and then gently guided the probe over the skin, searching. Abbey kept her gaze fixed on the ceiling at first, too hesitant to look. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Millie reach down and turn a dial. The room filled with the sound of a strong heartbeat. She turned her head and saw the unmistakable outline of a fetus.

"Can't deny that can I?" She murmured.

"You'll have to get this confirmed by an OB, but by the looks of things, I'd say you're around 10 weeks give or take."

"The timing is about right," Abbey agreed.

There was no question about it. She would have to tell Jed sooner rather than later. It was simply a matter of how long they would be able to keep it private, especially in the White House.

"You want to delegate some of your work as First Lady to the girls, and take up a teaching position at GW?"

"That's the gist of it."

"It's ambitious, "Ma'am," CJ replied. "There's going to be a lot of questions as to why you're going back to medicine and passing off duties to your children."

"Which is why I need your help, CJ. I have to stay healthy and reduce my stress levels as much as possible. Going back to my chosen profession is the best cover I could come up with. It would give me an excuse to stay in DC without giving away why."

"Realistically speaking, you're not going to be able to keep this a secret forever."

"No, but I have to try. I know it might be a fool's errand. But America has already been through this before with the Kennedys," She said quietly.

CJ's mouth went dry at the reference. She had been so caught up in wrapping her mind around the fact that the Bartlets were having a baby that her mind hadn't gotten to thinking about the last time a sitting president had a child. Patrick Kennedy had died less than two days after his premature birth in 1963.

"I didn't even think about that," CJ admitted. "There was one other child born to a president, wasn't there?"

"Esther Cleveland," Abbey supplied. "Born here in 1893."

"No pressure or anything."

The two women chuckled at that, relieving some of the seriousness of the conversation. Abbey studied CJ's face for a moment and could see that the other woman was giving what she said serious consideration.

"I know I'm asking a lot of you, CJ," Abbey said. "That's why I came to you first. I want to be proactive and responsible about the way this is handled. I still have to find out if the girls would be willing to help me once we tell them the news. So, why don't we set up another meeting in the next few days? The president can join us, and we can talk about this further.

CJ nodded her agreement, "I'll take what we've discussed under advisement and come up with a few strategies on how we can handle this going forward."

4 Weeks Earlier...

Inauguration Night

Jed walked out onto the Truman Balcony at just before 2am on the night of his inauguration. Technically, it was the next day, but he didn't feel like it was since he was still in his tux. His eyes searched it for Abbey, who had wandered out here when he took a call. He found her sitting on one of the outdoor sofas, still in her deep red ball gown and wrapped up in a throw.

"God you look spectacular," He said quietly as he sat down beside her. It wasn't a line either. Jed Bartlet really did believe that Abbey got even more beautiful over time.

"Well thank you. But I'm exhausted," She said honestly, looking over at him.

"Then let's go to bed," He suggested.

"I've been trying to talk to you since yesterday," Abbey pointed out. "But it seems like we haven't gotten a moment alone all week."

"We're alone now," He said and reached over to open the throw. He snuggled up next to her before pulling it around them.

Abbey snuggled into him, appreciating the warmth of his body. It was chilly out here, but she needed air after a night full of parties. She stared up at the moon shining back at them from the sky, gripping the pouch in her hand tighter, feeling suddenly unprepared to tell her husband this news.

"I got you something," She said, lifting her hand from under the blanket and holding it palm up so that he could see the red pouch that they used to put small favors in for their holiday parties.

Jed took the pouch from her hand and opened it. He reached in and pulled out a piece of circular brass hardware, "I love it," He said smiling at her.

Abbey chuckled softly, "You don't even know what it is."

"Of course I do. It's a brass ring."

"There should be one more thing in there."

Jed reached into the bag and pulled out a silver pacifier charm, "What is this?" He asked.

"Our brass ring," She said, unable to keep the emotion out of her voice. "Jed, I'm pregnant."

Jed's eyes widened. He was struck with the urge to laugh and to cry at the same time. "Are you serious?" He managed to ask. Shock was definitely part of it. But there was also a spark of hope.

"Yes."

"Abbey, really?" He said searching her eyes. His voice was thick with emotion.

"Really," She confirmed as her breath caught in her throat. She felt as if she was about to burst, "I went to see Millie yesterday, and she confirmed it for me."

Jed pulled her into him and kissed his wife passionately. They stayed like that for a long time. The world around them faded away, and it was just the two of them. No words were exchanged between them, only kisses, tears, and a little bit of laughter.

"It was election night, wasn't it?" He asked quietly when they parted.

"We won't know for certain but it was quite the night."

"I guess the fourth time is the charm, then. Once, and you're stuffed," He teased.

Abbey smacked his arm lightly, "Stop it. As memory serves it was more than once that night."

"And I enjoyed every single second of it," He whispered in her ear.

An involuntary shiver traveled down her spine, "Remember that when he or she keeps us awake all night."

Jed nuzzled her neck, but didn't offer another tease. He could feel the mixture of excitement and fear radiating off her in waves. As excited as he was at the prospect of having a fourth baby, there was a part of him that was just as scared as she was. Now was not the time to admit that, though. He had to be strong for her. After a few more minutes, they rose and went back to their bedroom.

Once there, they started to undress and get ready for bed. In just a matter of hours, they were both going to be needed at work. Abbey changed into her pajamas and crossed to the chair in the sitting area where she had left her work tote. She retrieved the set of ultrasound images Millie had printed for her from a slip pocket inside the bag and returned to the bed.

Abbey got into bed and flipped through the images as she waited for her husband to come back from the bathroom. As terrified as she was about all the things that could go wrong, Abbey couldn't deny the love blooming in her heart already for this baby. Despite waiting to confirm her suspicions, she started caring for herself as if she were pregnant for that very reason. She looked over at the center of the bed and for just a second, the image of a sleeping child flashed before her eyes.

Jed emerged from the bathroom and got into bed beside his wife, distracting her from her thoughts.

"Whatcha got there?" He asked, looking over at what she had in her hands.

"Baby's first sonogram," She replied and scooted towards him, so they could look at them together.

"So this is her," He said with a mixture of amazement and amusement in his voice.

"We don't know that yet. It could be either," Abbey pointed out.

"Honey, we've done this dance before, and it's ended the same way each time," He chuckled. "When can we find out?"

"Technically, we could find out any time we want once I decide on a provider. I'm around 10 weeks."

Jed felt like someone had just put a lead weight on his chest as he realized that Abbey had been holding on to this secret for a little while at least. They never kept secrets, especially something this big, from one another. But he understood why, and it made him wish that he could relieve the burden that was her medical knowledge for this.

"You could have told me, sweetheart," He said gently, kissing the side of her head. "I hate to think of you dealing with this alone."

"Having this baby isn't going to be easy, Jed. There are so many things that could go wrong—-"

"Don't," Jed said firmly. "Don't go to worst-case scenarios. You had three healthy pregnancies before. There's no reason to think this one won't be."

"I'm ancient by maternal medicine standards. My risk for complications is higher, for that reason alone. We can't take anything for granted."

"Ok. What's next?"

"Millie is putting together a list of OBs and midwives here in DC. I started one, but I couldn't bring myself to act on any of them. The last thing I need is to feel like I have no control over my body."

Receiving medical care was hard for any doctor. Abbey always tried to take it in stride for her colleagues. But she had never been satisfied with the care she received when she was pregnant before. It always felt like she was merely a vessel for the life inside her, instead of part of a team.

"You can do whatever you want, Abigail. You have my complete and total support."

"You say that now. But we're not private citizens anymore, honey. What will our staffs say when I have to bow out of something because I have no energy left? Never mind the press. As it is, I'm already thinking about what being pregnant will mean for my work schedule."

"We'll handle it," He assured her. "Just like we always have. One step at a time." Jed leaned down toward Abbey's pajama-clad stomach, "The same goes for you too, little lady. You need to concentrate on growing and prove to your mommy that you're going to come out just fine. That's an order from your daddy."

"You haven't even about this child for an hour, and you're already trying to tell her what to do," Abbey said as amusement danced in her eyes. Her heartfelt a little lighter too.

"You said she," Jed said, looking up at his wife triumphantly.

"Just thinking about the odds," She replied as she set down the scans and took his face in her hands. "I love you more than I could ever I stay mad at you for," She said quietly.

"I love you, too," He said and leaned in to kiss her again.

Both knew that they had a long road ahead. But they had been through their fair share of difficult times in over 30 years of marriage. This was no different, only this time if all went well, a baby would be at the end of it. And that was something to hope for.

Present Day

"Mr. President?" Leo said regarding his boss from where he stood on the other side of the Resolute Desk in the Oval.

"Yeah?" Jed said, breaking away from his thoughts.

"You wanted to see me about something?'

"Yes," He confirmed, looking over to make sure the doors to his office and Leo's were closed before turning back to his Chief of Staff. "I need to tell you something. You can start telling the rest of the senior staff tomorrow. But for now, it's just you and CJ. Abbey's probably telling her right now."

"What is it?" He asked, looking concerned.

"Abbey's pregnant."

"You're kidding," Leo said, his eyes lighting up with a mixture of surprise and shock.

"Your President does not kid, Leo. At least not about this," Jed replied and gestured for Leo to come around the desk.

Leo went around the desk and stood by Jed's chair, watching as his long- time friend and President pulled out what looked like a photo from a hidden pocket on the inside of his suit jacket. He turned it to face Leo, who immediately recognized it as an ultrasound photo.

"How about that?" He said quietly with a hint of amusement.

"Fresh off the presses as of Friday," Jed replied, pride evident in his voice. "Abbey opted to have a prenatal cell-free DNA screening and we just the results back today. Everything looks good and the test confirmed that Baby Bartlet is on track to arrive in August."

"You're going to have your hands full, my friend," He grinned. "August isn't very far away."

"I'm going to need you and all the senior staff to make sure that it happens, Leo," He said seriously. "Whether I like it or not, I'm going to have to accept that this child is going to become a part of my and Abbey's public lives. Until he or she is safe in our arms, no one, and I mean no one, who absolutely does not need to know will know about this baby. I want to be proactive about this. Whatever we can do, short of breaking the law to safeguard this secret, let's explore it."

"Yes, Mr. President."

"In the meantime, spare a positive thought for Abbey and me tonight. We're breaking the news to the girls."

"They might not let you live it down for a while. But something tells me they'll be happy to have a sibling."

"From your lips to God's ears, Leo."

Notes: Knowing how CJ came into the Bartlet Campaign, I thought she deserved a little more credit than she got in the early seasons. This seemed like a plausible way to do just that.

Patrick Kennedy's death had a profound effect on his family and on America as a whole in 1963. His death might have been preventable at another time. Not making the country revisit this history would be a significant motivator for the staff and the Bartlets.

Prenatal cell-free DNA screening is a real blood test some women choose to have instead of an amniocentesis or CVS test to screen for abnormalities in pregnancy. It was not introduced until 2011. I opted to make use of it for this story because there is a risk of miscarriage with these procedures and women do choose not to have them for that reason. Even though Abbey is a doctor herself, I felt she would have had similar feelings and opted to choose another type of testing. From my research, the real screening is not as precise as it is for this story.