A/N: We're back with another installment of Manchester. This chapter features a scene originally depicted in 2x13, Bartlet's Third State of the Union. Credit for most of the dialogue goes to the writers of that episode.
Enjoy!
The alarm clock went off in Jed and Abbey's bedroom on a bright sunny morning a month later. Abbey's hand snaked out of the sheets and hit it. She turned around and smiled when she saw Felicity stirring sleepily, stretching up her little arms.
"Good morning, lovebug," Abbey greeted, stroking her daughter's hair.
"Good morning, Mama," Felicity said. She lifted her arms up. "Up?"
"Yes, it's time to get up," Abbey replied. She lifted Felicity into her arms and carried her over to the changing table. After changing her, she set up Felicity's nebulizer treatment, stroking her foot and singing to her as the medicine went into her.
Felicity didn't protest her treatment. She simply remained still and waited while the medicine did its work. Donna knocked quietly on the doorframe and entered the room. She had been up for an hour already, preparing to get to work.
"Good morning ma'am," She said and returned Felicity's attempt at a wave while having her treatment. "I was just about to check in with Charlie. Is there anything you'd like to know from the President?"
Abbey turned to Donna. After a moment of hesitation, she remembered why she was still angry at Jed. "No, nothing."
Donna nodded. "Very good, ma'am."
"Will you do me a favor, though?" She said, removing the mask from Felicity. "Can you take Felicity downstairs and put her in her swing? I'll feed her in a few minutes, but I'd just like a minute to myself."
Donna smiled. "Of course, ma'am. Come here, Felicity." She took Felicity from Abbey.
Felicity looked at her mother, regarding her with her deep blue eyes. Then she rested her head on Donna's shoulder, content to go have quiet time in her swing. She still fit in it perfectly because she was so little for her age. When Felicity's sisters were at the same stage, they were much too mobile to enjoy it. But given that she just started trying to walk about a month ago and was struggling at it, things like her swing helped her forget that.
Donna took her out of the room and took her downstairs. She put Felicity in the swing, strapped her in, and turned on the slow swing auto function before giving her a binky to suck on. The little girl took it and sucked on it gratefully before closing her eyes again. Many people had many opinions about Felicity's constant need for a pacifier. She rarely used them before a year ago, except at nap times. These days, she almost always had one when she wasn't in Abbey or Jed's arms. It was her coping mechanism and no one was about to take it away, not even her pediatrician or her dentist.
Donna smiled at the little girl sound asleep in the swing. Just then, she jumped at the high-pitched ringing of her cellphone. Felicity shifted in her sleep but did not awaken.
She checked the caller ID and saw it was the White House. She answered quickly.
"Hello?"
"Please hold for Charlie Young."
There was a pause, then she heard, "Good morning, Donna."
"Good morning, Charlie. I was just about to call you."
"How's the morning going?"
"Quiet, the usual. We have the trauma therapist Stanley Keyworth coming up today. He'll be working with a local play therapist here in Manchester to help Felicity."
"Good. He's the best trauma therapist in the country. He'll be able to help Felicity."
"How did the President sleep?" Donna asked.
Despite not speaking to her husband, Abbey still wanted to make sure Jed was doing well even if she didn't ask.
"He let me go around midnight. I was back here by 6:30 am. He was still asleep. So I would guess just a few hours."
Donna made a note, "I'll tell her."
"The President wanted to know if Felicity's sleeping and eating better."
"You can tell him she's back on her nap schedule and that she'll take bites of things if we feed her by hand."
"That's good. At least she's getting some nutrition." Charlie was quiet for a minute. "I can't stand it."
"Can't stand what?"
"You know what. This feeling like I'm caught in between a feuding mom and dad. I feel like we're two kids caught in the middle of a divorce here."
Donna winced. Charlie could tell he had said the wrong thing even before she said anything.
"Sorry. Poor choice of words."
"You think? I know it's what it feels like, Charlie. But the President and Dr. Bartlet have been through so much together, especially over the last year. We owe them time to work this out."
"Donna, we're speaking for the President and The First Lady. They aren't talking to each other and he feels like she's keeping Felicity from him."
"I don't disagree with you. I've thought about calling and putting her on the phone. But we cannot get in the middle of their marriage, Charlie."
1 year earlier…
Donna was walking up to the Residence the day after Felicity was released from the hospital when she heard two things: first, Felicity was coughing and crying at the same time, and secondly, Jed and Abbey were arguing.
"You know what, Abbey?" She heard Jed raise his voice. "I think I am capable of taking care of my own child."
"I know that. But as a doctor, I know what you don't. I know that just because Felicity's out of the hospital doesn't mean that she's magically cured. In fact, she would still be in the hospital right now if it weren't for the fact that I was a doctor who could take care of her if anything happened!"
"All right. But you've got to at least let me be involved. Let me talk to Dr. Keller about this study."
"I think it's too risky, Jed! I know a lot more about this than you do."
"It's my disease he's looking for Abbey. Felicity could have Pediatric MS because of me. And you won't let me talk to him because I'm not a doctor? Give me a break! I'm her father for God's sake."
"Felicity could also have a whole host of other things, Jed. Or nothing at all. We won't know anything for years potentially."
"So I'm supposed to what? Sit here like a good little boy and let you do everything? That's not how we've done things, hot pants. It's always been 50/50 between us."
Donna stood in the hallway just outside the West Sitting Hall. This was definitely more than she bargained for. Pediatric MS?
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly missed the next part of the conversation.
"I know. I'm sorry. But Felicity is still a baby. And like it or not, babe, we're gonna have to just wait and see."
Jed threw his hands up in defeat. "Fine." He turned around and that's when he saw Donna.
"Donna. How long have you been standing there?"
Donna cleared her throat, "Not long, Mr. President. I just came to see if either of you needed anything."
Abbey saw Donna's expression and knew what she must have overheard. "We need to talk, Donna. It's time that we filled you in."
"Abbey is right. If anyone needs to know, it should be you," Jed said with a sigh.
Jed ushered her in and closed the door. Then he went over to his daughter and picked her up, settling her on his lap. Felicity quieted and snuggled into her father.
Jed sat down across from Donna on the couch. Abbey sat next to Jed.
"So, Donna, you know about the MS, obviously."
Donna nodded. She did know about the MS. They had sat her down and told her the day after Felicity's birth. They didn't think it was fair to ask Donna to sign papers to allow her to authorize medical care for Felicity without letting her know exactly what she might be in for. At first, Donna had been stunned, but she had accepted it, immediately asking if there was anything she could do for them, or if Jed was in any pain or discomfort.
Abbey sighed, then leaned forward. "When we were in the hospital yesterday, Dr. Keller pulled us aside. He told us that there was a possibility that Felicity could have pediatric MS."
"Okay," Donna said looking up at the little girl. "Is it because of the treatment you had to give her?"
"Not entirely, no. He was concerned that Felicity's reaction to her infection was unusual. Something you wouldn't see in a child her age. Pediatric MS could be a cause. A worst-case scenario. We won't know for certain until Felicity is much older though."
"Is that what you think she has?"
"No, I don't. I'm not sure what it is. But I think if Felicity has anything at all, it's not necessarily bad."
"So what happens now?"
Jed looked at Abbey. "There's a study at Johns Hopkins that we would like to enroll her in."
"But if we did," Abbey said, surprising herself by coming up with a compromise, "it would need to stay private."
"That goes without saying, ma'am," Donna said automatically. "No one outside the family should know about this."
"Much of that responsibility is going to fall to you, Donna," Jed explained. "You are the first person outside the two of us to know about this, and you are also the only person in the East Wing to know about the MS. I don't think I need to tell you that this needs to stay between us for now."
"I won't tell a soul."
"Then we're all on the same page," Jed agreed.
"Ellie would be participating in the study to help with Felicity. She'll be collecting samples and helping with monitoring," Abbey said. "But we'll need to take trips to Baltimore every couple of months that need to be kept off the books."
"That's not a problem. I have a private calendar for your family events. I can add it to that."
"Good," Abbey replied, nodding while also stealing glances at her youngest daughter, asleep on Jed's lap. "Listen, I'm sorry you had to find out like this, but I suppose with the scheduling, we would've had to tell you eventually."
Donna nodded. "It's all right, ma'am. We can make this work."
Jed smiled at her. "You're a good girl, Donna."
Donna blushed slightly. "Thank you, sir. Is there anything else you need?"
"Not right now," Abbey said.
"Well, I'll get back to work, I guess."
Donna left the room and Abbey turned to face her husband, "You do realize that you get the easy part right?" She asked, watching the two of them. "I do all the painful work and you get to be the hero."
Upstairs, Abbey stood at the dresser in her room. She could faintly hear Donna talking to Charlie downstairs.
She took a deep breath, feeling tears prick at the back of her eyes. Deep down, she knew that she was doing the right thing, taking a break from talking to Jed. If they talked, she would only say something she regretted later. Even now. But at the same time, she didn't want to keep Felicity from her father.
Abbey's eyes flickered to her wedding ring, sitting prominently on her left hand. For one second, for one brief second, she considered taking it off.
Her hand shaking, she slid it off. Just for the time being, she thought. It didn't seem right to lie to herself, or to everyone else.
She still loved Jed, but maybe her marriage was beyond repair.
Later that afternoon, Abbey sat on the sofa in the family room overlooking the back deck and the pond beyond. She laid Felicity beside her with her head resting on her lap. Abbey listened for a moment, waiting to hear if the ever-present wheeze in her child's left lung increased. Felicity was finally taking a much-needed nap and the odds that she would stay asleep were higher if they were close.
Abbey turned her eyes to Dr. Stanley Keyworth, who sat in the chair across from the sofa.
"Thank you for coming, Dr. Keyworth. I was under the impression that you would be working with Felicity, not me."
"That's true, Dr. Bartlet," Stanley answered. "But right now, it seems Felicity's well-being is connected with yours. She has post-traumatic stress, yes, but it's compounded with missing her father."
"I'm not cutting off contact," Abbey said abruptly. "Jed calls here every week. I just let her talk to him. Lately, she's refused."
"A month is a long time to fight for a one-year-old." Stanley pointed out. "Your emotional distance from Jed is preventing Felicity from having a stable home environment."
"Dr. Keyworth, I don't think you understand. We haven't been fighting for a month."
"So your decision to leave after your husband's announcement goes back further than last month."
"My decision to come here was the way our fight ENDED. It started at the State of the Union when Jed backed out of our agreement."
Stanley was puzzled. "What agreement?"
Abbey leaned forward and sighed. "When we agreed to do this, I made him promise that he would only serve for one term. When Felicity was shot, I reminded him of that promise, and he agreed to uphold it. Until the night of the State of the Union…"
6 months earlier…
Jed walked into the kitchen to find his wife, feeling pretty good about himself, when he came around the corner to find Abbey eating a sandwich all by herself.
"Hey. Lovebug get to sleep all right?"
"I just talked to Donna a few minutes ago. She said Felicity is out like a light."
"You been in here long?"
"Just for a minute."
"Fellas?" Jed asked the stewards. "Would you give us a minute?"
The stewards quickly left the room and gave the First Couple privacy. He took a beat, sensing Abbey's irritation from here.
"You're mad at me."
"Jed, you know what, I'm already Felicity's mommy, I'm not going to be yours too."
"Yes, I'm aware, Abigail," he sighed. "I don't want you to be upset about the speech."
"Upset? Now, why would I be upset? You had everything in that speech but the kitchen sink. And yet not one thing about the Violence Against Women's Act." She snapped.
"To make a 90-minute speech into an 80-minute speech, some things had to go." He explained calmly.
"Good thing it didn't have to be any shorter, or school uniforms wouldn't have made the cut."
"Abbey-"
"We had a deal." Her voice was cold.
"Abbey—-"
"You made a promise, Jed. You made a promise and then you swore to me six months ago that you weren't going to run again. Felicity was worth more to you than a second term. Those were your words."
"I never said I was running again!" He exclaimed.
"The moves over the last few weeks…this speech. You're running again. Without me."
Unbeknownst to the two of them, Alex entered the kitchen and was about to round the corner. But she stopped when she heard her Aunt mention running again.
"That's not what tonight's speech was about."
"That's ALL tonight's speech was about!" Her voice rattled the walls. "You kicked off your re-election campaign tonight, and I'm sitting here eating a sandwich because WE HAD A DEAL!"
Jed sighed, defeated. He knew he had to get to the Situation Room. "I've got a thing. Can we talk about this later?"
"What happened?"
"Colombia. Five DEA agents were kidnapped." He sighed. "Abbey…"
"No. You have to focus now." Abbey finished, stalking out of the kitchen and leaving Jed alone.
Jed ran a hand over his face, then followed her.
Neither one saw Alex standing up against the wall, concern etched on her face.
"You felt betrayed by Jed's actions," Stanley said.
"Not betrayed…disappointed," Abbey said, running her hand over Felicity's head. "I also felt like a fool. My husband has never lost an election and I was stupid enough to think he would lose his bid for the Presidency. I was so certain, I decided that it was the right time to have another baby. Only he won and we brought a child into this mess. So no…Dr. Keyworth. Felicity's well-being isn't tied to mine. We're tied together because for better and for worse, I am the parent she has."
"Do you feel you're a good parent?"
"I like to think so," Abbey answered.
"Is the President?"
Abbey closed her eyes for a minute. "He's a wonderful father. He's always been a wonderful father. But I just don't know if that's enough anymore."
"What would be enough?" Stanley asked gently.
"If he had chosen our marriage over this campaign. But he didn't."
Later that night, Donna walked into a restaurant near Manchester, where she could see Josh waiting.
Josh's face lit up as she approached. "Hey."
"Hey."
They kissed, and Donna sat down.
"So," Josh asked, "how's it going down at the farm?"
"You make it sound like I'm some hardworking farm girl."
"I know you're not. You grew up in a condo."
"I grew up near a farm, though."
"You didn't answer my question. How are the Bartlets?"
"They're still not speaking if that's what you mean."
"Ouch," Josh said and sighed. "So I don't suppose you'll be coming back any time soon then?"
"No," she said and smiled sympathetically. "Liz is there most days when she's not working or with the kids. With Zoey, Ellie, and Alex at school, I'm the only other person Dr. Bartlet has. Amy's holding the fort down at home."
"At least you have a lot of help."
"I suppose." Donna sighed. "I miss you, though. How do I know when I'm going to see you again?"
"I have no idea." Josh let his hands drop down to the table. "What a mess, huh?"
Donna tried to smile. "Dr. Bartlet won't say it, but I think she's starting to make mental plans for what's going to happen if they don't reconcile."
"That would be a first. First baby born in the White House in 100 years. Followed by a divorce."
"Josh!"
"I'm not saying that they will."
"Good. You better not. If Felicity sees you, the first thing she's going to ask is where her daddy is. He hasn't called at all this week."
"He…hasn't?" That didn't sound like Jed Bartlet.
"I think he's too afraid that Dr. Bartlet'll hang up on him. And Felicity doesn't want to talk to him anyway. We're at least two weeks out from the most time they've ever spent apart."
"You may be right. The President recommended this place you know," Josh said gesturing to their surroundings with a sad smile. "They used to come here a lot before he got into office. He shook his head. "Now everything is falling apart."
"Her mom's there, and I'm there, and her sisters are there. I think that's the only thing keeping her from having a complete meltdown that the President isn't there."
"You know I respect the President more than anything in the world, but I think he's really screwed up this time."
"He did. And that little girl is right in the middle. Dr. Bartlet is very upset about Felicity's study going public."
"Leo has been trying to figure out who leaked it. I don't know who is angrier about it. Him or the President."
"How's the mood otherwise?"
"Everyone is treading carefully around the President. The only people he seems to be listening to are Leo and Charlie."
"Must be a fun work environment. Amy's said not much has changed on her side. Alex stepped up and took a bunch of commitments with Zoey."
"That's good. How are the girls liking living on their own?"
"They love it so far. But I'm really glad they're close to the White House and able to step up during all of this."
"I can only second that." Josh reached for her hand and smiled before taking a breath, "What if there was a way I could reassure you that I'm gonna be around forever?"
Donna's forehead wrinkled, "What do you mean?"
Josh slipped a hand into his pocket. It came out of it with a small black box. His heart was pounding as he set it on the table and opened it, "Donnatella Moss, will you marry me?"
Donna gasped. "Josh…" She swallowed. "I…don't know what to say."
Josh waited, holding his breath.
Tears glistened in her eyes. "Yes."
Josh smiled. "Yes? You're-you're saying yes?"
Donna nodded. "Yes, Joshua. I'll marry you."
Josh stood up and came around the table. He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her. He was so happy at that moment that nothing could bring him down.
Donna examined the ring. "It's beautiful."
"Just like you."
Donna looked up and smiled. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
While Donna and Josh were out at dinner, Abbey was enjoying dinner with Ellie and Liz in their kitchen. Doug had taken Gus home a little while ago. Felicity was sitting in her high chair. But her participation in dinner was more for show than anything else tonight.
"So El," Liz said with a little smile. "Who are you dating?"
"No one at the moment. School keeps me very busy."
"Nothing wrong with that," Abbey commented. "If I hadn't been engaged to your father, I wouldn't have been involved with anyone in medical school."
"So…" Liz trailed off, suddenly afraid to address the elephant in the room. "Speaking of Dad, have you talked to him lately?"
Abbey chewed over her words carefully. "I haven't called him in a while, no."
"Has he called you?" Ellie asked pointedly.
"He's left me a few voicemails. I'm not ready to talk to him yet. I'll let him stew for a while longer."
"Fizzy could talk to him," Liz said.
"I don't think that's the best idea."
"Mom…."
"Elizabeth, please. We've been through enough today and for the week."
"She misses him," Ellie spoke up. "I don't think you're doing her any favors by cutting her off from her father. She needs him."
"You don't think I don't know that?" Abbey said. "She'll just be confused. And I for one am not ready to explain to my one-year-old daughter the concept of divorce." She put her napkin on her plate. "I'm going to lie down for a while. Let me know if she needs to nurse." In a minute, she was gone.
"Mama?" Felicity asked, concerned. "Daddy?"
Liz and Ellie looked at each other guiltily.
"Daddy…" Felicity whined plaintively.
Ellie stood up and unbuckled her baby sister from her high chair, "It's okay, Fizzy. Daddy's still at work."
"How about we go watch a movie?" Liz suggested, trying to keep things light for her sister.
"Good idea."
Liz and Ellie did their best to keep Felicity occupied for the next couple of hours. But neither of them could manage to get their mother's mention of divorce out of their minds. Not speaking was one thing, especially for this long. Both of them couldn't help but wonder when things got this bad between their parents