Elizabeth
"Nice ringtone." Russel jokes at Ellen while I'm lining up my shot. The mood shifts pretty quickly when we all notice Ellen pull out her authentication card. As she reads off her id number, we all look at her expectantly.
"Gather the NSC plus five and kick it to CiC comms." My heart drops, there is really only one thing it could be. My thoughts are confirmed pretty quickly when she adds "Early warning satellites detected multiple Russian launches." I almost want to laugh. Why would they do that? I'm racking my brain tying to remember any little mistake made diplomatically that could have made Salnikov spiral into a world ending mood. As we start to debate counter measure options, all I can think about are my kids. I don't even know where they are right now. Gordon and Ellen are telling the president to counter with everything we've got, and I realize this is real.
Henry
The kids look bored. We chose to do tourist things today, and I think I may be teaching too much. "Do you guys want to do something else?" I ask, noticing Allison checking her phone for the fifth time in the last three minutes. Jason looks up with a smug smile on his face.
"Arcade? Which I suggested this morning." I'm always a little bit proud of his wit, it reminds me that he is the perfect mix of Elizabeth and me, for better or worse. His sisters also perk up, eager to do something more fun and less educational.
"Lead the way, son"
Elizabeth
It's done. The orders have been given. Soon we will land on the Heliport at Mt. Weather and be locked underground for two years while the world rots above us. Russel says something about calling Carol and their sons. My chest tightens. I don't know how I'm supposed to go on, knowing the people I love most in the world will be dead in the next twenty-five minutes. I spend a moment hoping that the bunker won't actually protect us, how am I to live in a world where my family exist only in my memory. I can't resist, I pull out my phone and text my kids "Hope you're having a good day with Dad! I love you!" I open a new text to Henry too. "I'm so sorry for everything. I love you." I send it.
When I put my phone back in my pocket, I meet Conrad's eyes. He is wearing a look of confusion. We are both spies, or were. I know that, he like me has been trying to understand why this is happening. Trying to make sense of our part in the end of the world. But maybe there isn't any, maybe it just is, maybe its fate.
My heart is pounding out of my chest. It might actually be a heart attack this time. I go to fiddle with a ring I no longer wear. I guess it takes more than two and a half years to stop a self-soothing technique you had for twenty-five years.
Henry
"I'm sorry for everything. I love you." Tears come to my eyes. I'm incredibly confused. Why would she send me that on a random Saturday? I am just reading her words over and over again. How am I supposed to respond? I don't think I want to have this conversation over text, but I don't want to scare her off either.
"Dad?" I hear Stevie calling me. "Are you okay?" I look up at her and try to force a smile. I nod and swallow, not quite trusting my voice yet.
"Yeah, kiddo." I tell her. And maybe it is finally okay. I put my phone back in my pocket, with every intention to answer her later. I don't want to start this conversation in front of the kids. I think she would expect some processing time from me.
"What's next?" I ask as I walk over to my kids.
Elizabeth
"Let's reconvene in the morning." With that we are all dismissed from the Oval. My hands still feel numb, from the earlier panic and subsequent less than professional fight with Gordon. I choose to take the colonnade out to the main entrance of the west wing. I need the just barley warmed air of early spring to breathe some kind of life back into me. I can't fathom how two hours ago the world was literally ending and now I have to go home and live as if nothing ever happened.
I finish my long way, walk to the motorcade and ask Jimmy to take me to the Truman Building. I don't think I can handle sitting around alone at home today. I don't want to ruin Henry's day with the kids. Suddenly I remember the "you're my end of the world person" text I sent while on Marine One. I take my phone out of my pocket, but hesitate to open it. I'm not sure I want to know his response to my statement.
When I open the phone to no notifications, my face reddens with embarrassment. Of course, he wouldn't say anything. What is there for him to say? Well, Elizabeth I closed this door two and a half years ago when I walked out on our marriage. I need to think of a way to walk this back. I don't want him to think that he still has this effect on me. I don't want him to know that if the world was ending his arms are the one's id still want to be in. "That was for someone else. Sorry." It seems like the easiest thing to do, give the appearance that I've been able to move on.
Henry
I nearly drop the donuts I'm carrying when I get the message. "That was for someone else. Sorry." I think someone might have actually punched me in the diaphragm, I struggle so hard to get my next breath. What does she mean someone else? I wasn't aware she had moved on. I look at the dozen donuts I got just for her, still warm and chocolate iced. I was going to give them to her and we were going to talk. I was going to fall on my knees and beg her forgiveness. I was going to ask her to get dinner with me, to re-build our friendship and hopefully later our marriage. We were going to be okay.
"It's all good." I decide to reply. I try to get rid of all of the visions I had of reconciliation and continue with life as I had been before I saw that text this morning.