Author's Notes: More Leo, more Jed. Next part of story will skip ahead to the summer after high school graduation.
Feedback: As always, is divine.

Strangely enough, Jed's dad lets him ride in the ambulance with me. I try not to act too relieved as I see his face peer in through the open door, and then climb in beside me. The paramedic mumbles something to me about morphine, and I wince as I feel a needle in my arm.

Jed looks like hell. His eye is completely swollen shut now, but the other is watching me closely. I think he expects me to yell at him for what happened in the lecture hall. I think he thinks I'm going to be angry with him.

The truth is, I wanted to hit Alabama too. I don't know how it's possible for people to hate that much. I really, really don't. But I know the minute I let myself go and resort to violence; I've sunk to his level. Jed knows that too. He just temporarily forgot this afternoon.

"I'm not mad at you, Jed," I say, surprised at how difficult it is to speak. The drugs are kicking in and I'll be out of it soon.

"I'm so sorry, Leo," he says, and I think he might cry. "I've ruined our whole debate. I've ruined everything."

"Jed," I'm really stumbling over words now. I want to tell him it's okay, that I forgive him. But my body is giving into the morphine, and the last thing I see is Jed's haunted face before I black out.



I wake up in what I assume is a recovery room. The room is quiet, and as my vision clears I see Jed asleep upright in a chair in the corner. He's got a butterfly stitch over his left eye and I guess his dad brought him a change of clothes. My arm is in a cast now and I'm still pretty groggy. I try to sit up and flop back down onto the bed. This wakes Jed from his light sleep.

"Hey," I mumble.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm not feeling much of anything right now," I say. I can still feel the drugs in my system.

"They just gave me some aspirin and stitched my eye up," Jed sighs. "We must look like we've been in a riot or something."

"No kidding," I say. I try and wiggle my fingers around in the cast without much success. Just as Jed is moving his chair closer to the bed, the door to the room opens. It's Jed's dad.

"Jed, could you please wait outside?" He seems amazingly calm. I thought he'd be screaming at us. I guess they might throw him out of the hospital though.

"Yes, sir," Jed says, and gives me a reassuring look. I nod at him and he exits the room.

Mr. Bartlet stands perfectly still as Jed leaves the room. When the door clicks shut, he makes his way over and sits in the chair next to my bed.

"Mr. Bartlet," I start. He looks over at me. "This was all my fault. Please don't punish Jed for being associated with me. I brought up the discussion on the floor and the fight that followed was my fault."

"Mr. McGarry, I appreciate you standing up for my son. But I've known him quite a bit longer than you have, and this has his name written all over it. You're both equally guilty, and you know what Nation policy says about fighting," he sighs. He seems resigned to the fact that his son is a complete screw-up.

"Please don't send Jed home, sir. He's the smartest kid in the delegation," I say, close to begging. I don't want to make things worse between Jed and his father.

"I wouldn't go that far, Mr. McGarry. The stunt he just pulled should be testimony to Jed's intelligence level," he smirks. I grit my teeth not to retort. "I have to send you both home, along with the boy you were fighting with. It's strictly policy, Mr. McGarry. Don't think I'm doing this because I'm anti-Catholic," his father says, standing up. "You'll have to be out of the dorm by noon tomorrow."

"I didn't think you were doing this because you were anti-Catholic, sir," I say, and I really hadn't until he mentioned something about it. "I'm sorry this all happened, sir."

"I am too, Mr. McGarry," Mr. Bartlet says as he gets ready to open the door.

"Mr. Bartlet?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think about segregation, sir?"

"I don't think about it at all, Mr. McGarry," he says, and leaves the room. I drop my head back onto my pillow and the tears welling in my eyes begin to spill out. Several minutes later, Jed reenters the room. He looks completely dejected.

"So we're going home then," I say quietly.

"Looks that way," Jed says, reclaiming his spot in the chair next to my bed.


The room is silent for a while, and then the air conditioner kicks in. Jed and I just kind of stare at each other, not really knowing what to say. It's not an uncomfortable silence. We can really converse without saying anything at all, which is pretty scary and pretty amazing at the same time. I feel myself begin to drift off to sleep again, lulled by the hum of the air conditioner.



When I wake, I'm alone in the room. My first instinct is to panic. Jed's father has sent him home and I didn't even get a chance to tell him goodbye. Most of the drugs have worn off now, and my vision is clear. The clock on the wall says it's just now dinnertime, which amazes me. I feel like I've been in this room for days. I sit up slowly, trying to get used to having only one arm to work with. It's not too hard, and I'm up and stretching my legs when Jed enters the room.

"Hey," he says, smiling. "How would you like to come to New Hampshire for a couple weeks?"

"Get real, Jed. I can't pay for a plane ticket. Besides, if I'm not going to be here I might as well go home and work for a couple more weeks before school starts. We could use the money at home," I sigh, leaning against the bed. I realize the room is cold and then realize I'm standing in the middle of the room in my boxer shorts.

"Leo, my mom has invited you out to the farm. She wants to meet you," Jed smiles. "My dad doesn't have to know anything about it. You can come out and visit for a couple weeks and we'll put you on a plane back to Chicago before Dad gets home from California. Come on, Leo! It'll be so much fun!"

"I'll have to call home and find out what my mom thinks," I say, trying not to smile. "I can't just go wandering the continent without her knowing."

"Well, call her!"

"Well, I would, but-"

"But what?!"

"But I'm not wearing any pants, Jed! I can't walk to the payphone in my underwear," I say. Jed grabs my khakis out of the closet and throws them at me.

"Let's go!"

****************************************************


My father asks me to leave the room and I look over at Leo. He looks so alone and helpless lying in the hospital bed, his arm in a sling. I can't do anything but comply without risking an outburst from my jackass of a father. I try to reassure Leo with my face, but I don't know if he catches it as I leave the room.

I walk slowly down the hallway, past a couple nurses who give me sympathetic looks. I guess I do look pretty roughed up. Of course, I deserved it. I can't believe I hit that guy. It had happened before I even had time to think about it. As soon as my fist connected with his head, I knew I'd done the completely wrong thing.

I don't know how Leo hasn't completely screamed at me yet. He just gives me the 'I understand' face and doesn't say anything. Is he really not mad at me? How is that possible? I ruined his entire summer. He worked so hard to be able to come out here, and now he's going to be sent home.

I plop down into a chair in the waiting room and reach for my cigarettes. I pull the foil packaging out of my pocket to discover the very last of my precious Marlboros. I hold it in my hand and contemplate it for a while. Just as I'm looking for matches, my father appears in the hall. I quickly spit the cigarette out of my mouth and do my best to look innocent.

"You'll all be gone by noon tomorrow, Josiah," my father says, sitting down in a chair across the room. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, but I tried to warn you about this debate."

"Yes, sir," I say. I feel too defeated to even put up a good argument right now. I think this catches Dad off guard.

"You must have that Chicago kid pretty well snowed," my dad says, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "He stood up for you pretty impressively, Jed. It amazes me that anyone would try to take blame for something that was so obviously your fault."

I sigh, but internally smile at Leo. He didn't yield the floor to me on purpose. He's trying to keep me out of trouble. I think we're starting to find that when we're together, trouble seems to follow. Bring the trouble. With Leo around, I think we could conquer anything.

"He's a good guy, sir," I say. "You know I don't have any friends at home that are Catholic."

"You don't have many friends at home, period. There's a reason for that, Jed," my father says. "You're completely disagreeable and you're so arrogant there's barely room for me in this room."

"Yes, sir," I say, looking at my shoes.

"Anyway. I'm just saying that this friend of yours is someone you should probably keep around, because I know you'll probably be finding more trouble for yourself sooner than later."

"Yes, sir," I smile at my father. He doesn't smile back. Then again, he never does.

"You can take a cab to the airport. Call your mother. I'm sure she'll have Jonathan or someone pick you up when you get into New Hampshire. And consider yourself restricted to the farm when you get home," Dad says, rising from his seat.

"Yes, sir."

"I can't believe you, Jed. I bring you all the way out here, and you repay me by embarrassing me in front of my colleagues. I'm so disappointed. Although, I guess I'm not really surprised by your stunts anymore. See you in a couple weeks, " my father mumbles as he leaves me alone in the waiting room.

"Yes, sir," I say in return. I'm sure he didn't hear me, but I don't really care that much. I can't believe I'm going home tomorrow. I had so many things planned to do while I was out here. So many things I wanted to discuss.

And yet the thing that bothers me most about leaving is the fact that Leo and I are going to be separated. I've only known him a couple days and he's already become the best friend I've ever had. He sees past all the pomp and arrogance. He sees past my faults. No one has ever done that before, except Mom. No one.

I walk back to the room and say a couple things to Leo. He looks like he's going to nod off again. The room is completely silent and I feel like we're still conversing. It's the strangest, most fulfilling feeling. Leo is asleep pretty soon and I'm uncomfortable in this chair. I get up and walk the halls again.

I glance around the room and catch sight of a payphone. Then I have an epiphany. I get up and gallop over, dig around in my pocket for change, and dial my home number.

Mom was ecstatic to hear about Leo and the debate and the fight and everything else. Mom is always ecstatic to hear about things I do. I guess that's why she's my mom. Then I told her I'd be coming home tomorrow, and she told me to bring Leo with me. She said she'd buy the plane tickets and they'd be waiting for us at the terminal in the morning.

******************************************



I forgot about the time difference as I called home. It was almost nine now in Chicago, and Josie was sleeping on a cot in the room with the phone. She answered groggily.

"'Lo?"

"Josie!"

"Who is this?"

"This is your favorite older brother, smartass," I can't help but smile. I didn't realize how much I missed the two little scamps.

"Leo!" Josie is definitely awake now, and hollering for Mom and Elizabeth. "And don't call me a smartass, you schmuck."

"How's everything going around there, huh?"

"It's pretty boring. We've been playing some baseball, but Mom won't let us wander too far from the house since you're not around to keep an eye on us."

"You're kidding! Mom must know that I pay absolutely no attention to you two once we get out of the house," I smile.

"Yeah, you got that right. Anyway, I've been doing summer reading and stuff. Elizabeth is taking swimming at the Y, so I have to walk her there and then walk her back."

"How's Aunt Fran?"

"She's as dictatorial and oppressive as ever," Josie giggles.

"And it sounds like you've been studying summer vocabulary, too," I say.

"Just so I can have a conversation with you and understand what you're saying," she's still giggling. "Lizzie wants to talk to you."

"Okay," I smile. I can just see Elizabeth curled up in her pajamas pulling Josie's hair until she relinquishes the phone.

"Hey, Leo!"

"Hey, Lizzie! I miss you!"

"I miss you, too. Josie refuses to give me piggyback rides and buy me bubble gum. You hafta come home soon, Leo!"

"I'll be home soon enough. Is Mama downstairs yet?"

"Yeah, hang on," Lizzie drops the phone and I can hear her bare feet hit the floor as she runs to get Mom.

Jed's smiling at me like an idiot.

"What?" I say, looking at him.

"You're quite the doting older brother, Leopold," he says.

"Shut up," I smile at him.

"Leo?" I hear my mother's voice and I get a pang in my chest. I miss them so much.

"Hey, Mom. How are you?"

"I'm okay, baby. How are things going around there?"

"Well, Mom. We got into some trouble today. We brought up segregation on the floor this morning and a fight broke out."

"Leo! You weren't fighting, were you?"

"Well, not exactly. I was trying to rescue Jed from getting creamed and another guy tripped me. I fell and broke my arm."

"Leo! Your arm! Which one? Can you still write?"

"Yes ma'am. My left arm, and it'll be fine. However, since we were fighting, we can't stay at Nation."

"Oh, Leo. Why do you always have to be the scapegoat for the issue? Just let someone else take credit for once, baby. You worked so hard to get there," Mom sounds so disappointed. I look down so Jed can't see the tears in my eyes.

"I know, Mama. I know," is all I can manage.

"So, you're coming home soon?"

"Well, actually I was calling to get permission to go out to New Hampshire with a friend of mine for a couple weeks. His mom invited me out there and she said she'd pay for the plane ticket," I say. Mom is quiet for a couple minutes. "Mom?"

"Yeah. Who's this friend, Leo? You didn't know the other boy from Illinois, right?"

"No, ma'am. I met him the first day we were here. I actually saved him from getting creamed in the cafeteria. His name is Jed Bartlet."

"It sounds like you two seem to get into trouble together," Mom says, but I can tell she's smiling.

"Yes, ma'am. We've been in our fair share of trouble together. He's great, Mom. I hope you get to meet him."

"Well, I'm glad you've made a friend, Leo. I know it's been hard for you since we moved from Boston," Mom sighs.

"So, is it okay if I go?"

"I suppose so, baby. You've just got to be careful. Do me a favor and call when you get there, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I love you, Leo. I'm so proud of everything you've done. I know you only get in trouble when it's something you believe in. Just keep believing, baby. You're going to do big things someday."

"Yes, ma'am," I smile. "I love you, too. Kiss Josie and Lizzie for me."

I hang up the phone and turn to look at Jed.

"Looks like we're going to New Hampshire," I smile.

TBC