Are You Ready?
by: Rhiannon McMahon
Disclaimer: Okay... I own the story and the extra characters. All else belongs to a power much greater than I...
*** Thanks to AJ for the idea & for the title.... and for, once again, helping me figure out what the heck I'm doing!***
Lilli Mays knocked on the door of her boss's office, "Abbey?"
Abbey looked up from the floor, "Come in."
Lilli walked in and smiled when she saw the First Lady playing with her ten month boys on the floor of her office, "Abbey, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment..."
"Now?" Abbey asked, trying to catch Chase before he teetered too far away from her.
"Yes, ma'am ... it's kinda important." Lilli said.
"Okay, what's up?" Abbey asked, sitting with the quiet Matthew in her lap while Chase journeyed away. "Have a seat."
"Okay," Lilli said, sitting on the couch. "I hate to do this to you, but I've been dating this man on a serious basis for a while now... I think we're ready to go to the next level and I-"
"Chase!" Abbey said, loudly.
Lilli looked over and saw the little, auburn haired boy with a handful of leaves from a plant nearby. Abbey sighed as she placed Matthew down and scooted over to nab her other son. She brought Chase back over to the blanket where his brother waited.
"I'm sorry Lilli ... you were saying?" Abbey said, looking back up at the, other woman.
"Well, this man and I are thinking about marriage and-"
"Well, that's wonderful."
"Yes, ma'am and he's being transferred to another state and-"
"Chase Robert!" Abbey exclaimed once again. The little boy was trying to climb into a large pot where a large tree was planted. Abbey sighed as she rose and retrieved the errant little toddler once more. "I'm sorry Lilli..."
"That's okay." Lilli took a deep breath of air and decided to say it quickly and then leave the office. "He's moving to Oklahoma in two weeks and I'm going with him."
Abbey still thoroughly engrossed in what her sons were doing nodded, "That's great Lilli..."
Lilli shook her head and rose from the couch, "I'm going to go back to work now."
"Okay Lilli, thanks." Abbey replied, completely distracted.
Lilli walked out the doors and was almost to her own office when she heard an exclamation from Abbey's office.
"WHAT?!" a half a second later Abbey emerged from her office, both boys in tow. "Lilli, what did you just say?!" ~~~ "She's what?" Jed asked as they climbed into bed later that night.
"She's moving to Oklahoma with her boyfriend in two weeks ... which means I have to find a new Chief of Staff." Abbey groaned. She shook her head, "It's always something..."
"Yeah, I know ... speaking of always something," Jed said. "Have you heard from our little magician of a daughter lately?"
Abbey sighed, "Jennifer's still in California running that children's camp ... she's good at it. And she likes it..."
Jed snorted, "She needs to get good at telling people goodbye instead of just up and leaving."
"She told us goodbye, Jed." Abbey said quietly. "Which is more than she did the last time she left."
"Yeah ... but I wish she had told a certain other person she was leaving, instead of leaving it to me." Jed shook his head.
Abbey nodded, "Yeah... I know."
"Yeah..." Jed said, turning off the light. He laid flat on his back and Abbey snuggled into him, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and they both began to drift off to sleep.
All of a sudden a loud crying was heard on the intercom from the boys' bedroom. Jed and Abbey groaned.
Jed looked down at her, "Your son wants you, Abbey."
"Oh, no. He wants his daddy."
"No, Abbey, I really think-"
"Did I ever tell you how painful it was for me after they were born?" Abbey said, looking up at him. "As in ... how much pain I was in after I gave you not one, but two sons."
Jed looked at her for a moment and then rose from the bed, flinging the covers over her, "Fine! Fine! Fine! I'll go. Never mind that I'm the President and the most powerful man in the world and need my rest. I'll be happy to go so you can stay in bed..."
Abbey laughed as she watched her complaining husband stomp out the bedroom door. She waited a full minute and then hopped out of bed herself to join him.
** The next morning, Leo walked into the Oval Office expecting to see an alert and chipper President. Instead, he found his best friend and President laying on one of the couches ... asleep. Leo shook his head, sending up thanks that his days of getting up in the middle of the night with a small child were
over.
"Mr. President." Leo said quietly as he tapped Jed on the shoulder. When he didn't get any response, he poked him again, "Mr. President."
Jed's hand shot out and grabbed Leo's hand, "I'm going to turn you and Charlie into the FBI for committing a federal offense."
"And what might that be, sir?"
"Waking me up." Jed said, finally opening his eyes. "What do you want?"
"I heard that Lilli Mays is leaving." Leo said, taking a seat across from Jed.
Jed nodded, "Yeah, and now Abbey has to find a new Chief of Staff ... she's in a tailspin trying to figure out how she's going to replace Lilli."
"I can imagine," Leo said. "Lilli's good at what she does, she'll be hard to replace."
"Yeah," Jed said, stretching from his place on the couch. "But, if anyone can find a replacement, it's Abbey." ~~~ "Come on," Abbey said into the phone. "It's a wonderful opportunity... Moving to Washington would be great for you and you know it..... I know you have other responsibilities and I know you love what you're doing now. But you can do a lot more good working with and for me.... You know there's more to this
job than playing hall monitor... Look at Leo.... No, he's not the hall monitor any more and you know that.... Okay ... then you'll do it?.... That's great! This is going to be great!..... Yeah, okay. You got it.... I won't say
a word until you get here.... How soon can you be here?..... Well, I was thinking that if you came tomorrow sometime, then CJ could announce it at a press briefing.... Lilli doesn't really leave for another two weeks... Yeah, she'll give you a run down and then she's out of here.... I think the sooner
the quicker is how she'd like it.... Okay, then come tomorrow and we'll announce it.... If you need to tie up any loose ends you can do that later.... Okay, I'll see you tomorrow night then.... Yeah, I'll make sure....
Okay, bye."
Abbey hung up the phone, rather pleased with herself... She had just convinced the one person in the country who was best suited to this job to take it...
She was rather pleased with herself indeed.
** Toby Ziegler walked into his office with his usual grumpy attitude early the next morning. He had just finished yelling at Sam, so he felt marginally better... But not much. He threw the papers that were in his hand onto his desk and fell onto his couch.
He looked across his office to the wall that contained some of the most important pieces of paper in his life... Pictures that Marrah Bartlet had drawn for him.
For the past ten months, the little girl had been sending him crayon drawing and small art projects. He had taken each one of them and stapled them to his office wall... The innocence of the artist had given him a well- needed dose of positive energy when he needed it the most. And he loved the fact that the
little girl sent him pictures, although he'd never admit that to anyone.
Abbey Bartlet had given him a picture of Marrah when Jennifer sent a package of them to her parents. Abbey had done it quietly and without any spoken words at all. He kept the photo of the little blond girl on top of a filing cabinet, out of the immediate line of site of visitors.
But he hadn't actually seen Marrah or her mother since January... He saw them the day before they left, but he hadn't known that Jennifer was planning on going back to California the next day... And Jed Bartlet had been the one that told him... ~~~ (Flashback- January of that year)
Toby walked into the Oval Office two minutes after being told that the President wanted to see him.
"Toby." Jed had said.
"Yes, Mr. President?"
"Come in and have a seat." Jed said, coming from behind his desk.
"Thank you sir," Toby replied. "I think I'd prefer to stand, if you don't mind."
"Not at all." Jed said, a troubled look on his face. He hated doing this. If he ever got his hands on his daughter, he'd wring her little neck for making him do this. "Toby, I know that you and my daughter have grown very ... close in the last month."
"Sir?"
Jed held up a hand and sighed, "Toby, there's no good way to tell you this, so I better just come right out and say it... Jennifer left for California this morning. Her camp called two days ago and they needed her back. She and Marrah have gone back home."
Toby stared at him. He pursed his lips, "I see ... and for how long?"
"For good, as far as I know." Jed said quietly. He could have kicked Jennifer into orbit for doing this to Toby. "She's not good at good-byes ... she didn't tell anyone but her mother and me..."
Toby nodded his head, "Okay, Mr. President. Is that all?"
"Yes, Toby." Jed said, dismissing him.
"Thank you, sir." Toby said, leaving the room. ~~~ And that had been it. Not a single word of communication from Jennifer since then...
Toby sighed, trying to rub the headache out of his head.
Someone knocked on the closed door. "What?" Toby called.
The door opened and Josh stuck his head in through the crack, "Hey, just wanted to let you know that you need to stay late tonight. Mrs. Bartlet's new Chief of Staff is arriving today and she and the President want to introduce Lilli's replacement to us."
"Who is it?"
Josh shrugged, "Don't know... The President doesn't even know."
"What? Why?" Toby asked.
Josh shrugged again, "Who knows, you know Mrs. Bartlet. There's no telling what she's got on her mind."
Toby just nodded, "Fine, get out. I have work to do."
"Okay..." Josh hesitated for a moment. "Hey Toby?"
"What?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
Toby looked up at him, "Out ... now."
Josh nodded and closed the door.
** Jed's staff gathered in the Oval Office around ten o'clock at night. They all knew that they were going to meet the First Lady's new Chief of Staff.
Jed sat at his desk, watching his sons charm the pants off his staff. Matthew sat in Margaret's lap as he played with Leo's tie. Donna sat nearby, watching the even-tempered twin. Sam, CJ, and Josh were taking turns running after Chase. Every few seconds, one of then would have to get up and nab the little
hell on wheels and bring him back to where everyone else was sitting.
Well, everyone by Toby.
Jed uttered a mental sigh at the sight of his Communications Director leaning up against a wall, keeping his distance from the scene playing out in front of him.
Finally, the door swung open and Abbey walked in. Little Chase ran to her the moment her saw her. Abbey reached down and picked her little boy up, "First of all, I'm sorry you all have had to stay here so late. But, my new Chief of Staff couldn't get a plane until late and I wanted you all to meet her tonight."
CJ looked up, "Abbey, do you and the President want me to add this to the morning briefing tomorrow?"
Abbey looked over at her husband. Jed shrugged, "I'd just like to know who you con- I mean, hired ... for the job."
Abbey raised an eyebrow and looked her husband straight in the eye. Jed looked at his wife for a long moment. Suddenly, it dawned on him who she had hired. His eyes immediately shifted to Toby for a brief second.
"Grandpa!" a young voice called out, all at once.
Every jaw dropped as a little, blonde haired girl ran into the room. The little girl ran over to her grandfather and jumped into his arms.
"Hey, Baby!" Jed exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Marrah looked up at him excitedly, "Mommy's going to work for Grandma now! I get to see you all the time!"
"In fact, she gets to live with her grandfather now," an alto voice called from the doorway.
Jed looked up. There, standing in the doorway next to her mother, was his middle daughter. Jed sighed ... he wished to high Heaven that this child of his would revamp her entire wardrobe. She stood there wearing a short, tight back leather skirt and a tight back shirt. Over this she wore a long black overcoat that came close to hitting the floor and Jed could see her customary four inch black boots from where he was sitting.
Abbey grinned, "Jennifer has agreed to take Lilli's place and be my Chief of Staff..."
The group assembled rose and rushed forward to greet Jennifer. Jennifer, however, was more focused on her dad. The two made eye contact and Jennifer asked him a silent question. Jed responded by shifting his gaze to a place on the other side of the open door... a place she couldn't see.
Jennifer took a couple steps into the room and looked to the other side of the door just in time to see Toby Ziegler's retreating back as he walked out of the room.
** Jennifer Bartlet sat in the one place in the entire White House she was sure she'd never be found ... her own office.
Lilli Mays had moved out earlier that day after showing Jennifer all the projects and calendars her mother had in the works... Jennifer had walked back down to the office hours later. And now, she was laying on her couch, listening to the silence.
She thought back over the past ten months... She had loved her job running a year-round camp for abused children. There they were taught love and respect ... both commodities they all lacked... Every child that walked through the ranch gates was loved.
When her mother called her to let her know she was pregnant, Jennifer had finished up a couple of loose ends and packed up and traveled to Washington... That following January, the person she had left in charge had called her ... she was needed back at the ranch. Jennifer packed her things and she and Marrah left for California the next morning.
She had told her parents goodbye...
But she didn't tell Toby ... she left that for her father to do. A chore he came close to killing her for shoving off on him. It was wrong of her to leave without telling him and she knew it... But telling someone goodbye had never been her talent...
Especially when it was someone she was falling in love with... ~~~ {Flashback- Early January}
"Come on Ziegler!" Jennifer exclaimed. "Learn to live a little!"
"This is the exact reason why I have lived this long, Bartlet! Because I don't do stupid things like this!" Toby retorted.
Jennifer put her hands on her hips. She pursed her lips and then rolled over to where Toby was standing, with his hands tightly gripping the wall.
Toby shook his head when he saw her coming for him ... how the HELL had he let her convince him to take her roller skating? He felt like a fool and he was quite sure he looked like one as well, "Jennifer, no. I feel like an idiot. I can't skate, I'm going to fall down and kill myself... Just think about the headlines... White House Communications Director kills himself while roller skating with demented First Daughter."
Jennifer laughed, "First of all... I'm not demented! Second of all, I've yet to hear of anyone dying from roller skating on a rink."
"There's a first time for everything." Toby muttered, trying to stay on a vertical base.
"And third," Jennifer said, ignoring his last comment. "I'm right here, Toby. I won't let you fall, okay? I'm right here with you." ~~~ A knock on the door jerked Jennifer out of her thoughts, "Come in." Jennifer smiled when the door opened to reveal, "Joshy."
Josh grinned at her, "The one and only."
Jennifer patted the couch, "Have a seat. What's up?"
"Nothing much, Jeffener." Josh said, sitting beside her. "You haven't seen him yet, have you?"
Jennifer shook her head, "No ... he left the Office the moment he found out Mom's new Chief of Staff was me. Can't say that I blame him, though."
Josh shook his head, "I don't." He looked his friend in the eye, "He was pretty upset when you left without even telling him."
"Yeah... I know." Jennifer nodded her head. "I just don't do good-byes Joshy... You know that."
"Yeah, I do know that Jeffener," Josh said quietly. "But I also know that Toby deserved to hear it from you ... and not your father."
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
Jennifer nodded, "Yeah..." ** Toby stood uncomfortably in the Residence of the White House. Both the President and the First Lady had invited their staff to a farewell party for Lilli Mays and a welcome party for Jennifer.
Well, invited wasn't the best word for it ... forced seemed more appropriate.
And Toby was hating every moment of it... He hated being in the same room with Jennifer. He hated being so close to her after what she did to him...
Especially after what went on the last time they were in the same room together... ~~~ {Flashback- Early January, Toby's office}
"So?"
"So, what?" Jennifer looked at him.
Toby sighed, "So, what do think?"
"It's good."
"It's good? Is that all you can say, Bartlet?"
Jennifer made a face, "Fine... It's a masterful piece of speech writing that was written by a master of the English language... That better, Ziegler?"
Toby smirked in spite of himself, "That's better... You're getting good at that."
"Well, thanks." Jennifer said, in mock defense. "I'd like to think I'm getting good at something else beside sticking my foot in my mouth when it come to you."
Toby turned the computer off and sat down next to Jennifer on the couch, "Well... I wouldn't say that that is the only thing you're getting good at."
"Oh, you wouldn't would you?" Jennifer said, laughing as he leaned in for a kiss.
Toby broke the kiss, "Defiantly not the only thing you're good at."
Jennifer grinned, "Well, I'm so glad you think so."
"Me too." Toby said, pressing her down into the couch. ~~~ Toby drifted out of his thoughts as he noticed Abbey Bartlet commanding the attention of the room. He looked over to her as she began to speak.
"Well, I'd like to say thank you to all of you for coming... I know some of you came willingly ... while some of you were persuaded to come in a rather ... creative manner." Abbey said, glancing over at her husband.
Jed looked at her with innocent eyes.
"First off, I want to say how much I have enjoyed having Lilli as my Chief of Staff. I'll be forever grateful that I got her from my husband's staff." Abbey smiled. "Lilli, you are wonderful at what you do... You've been a valued colleague and invaluable to me on so many occasions. Thank you so very much."
Through Abbey's speech, Jed stood slightly to her right. He kept rolling his eyes and began trying to touch his nose with his tongue... As he did all of this, he hummed, 'Happy Days Are Here Again.'
Abbey gave him a quick glance and continued with her speech, "But I am very happy to have my daughter take over as Chief of Staff. I called her the day after Lilli told me she was leaving and somehow I con-.... I mean, I convinced Jennifer that taking this job would be a rewarding experience for her."
Jed snorted next to her. Abbey glanced at him again and he continued to hum.
She took a deep breath, "I'm very excited to have her here with me and-" Abbey, finally reaching her breaking point turned to her humming husband, "Jed!"
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Like sleeping on the couch, do you?" Abbey asked, raising an eyebrow.
The group assembled laughed as Jed looked at her with large eyes, "No ... why do you ask?"
"Because ... you keep humming like you've enjoyed your past slumbers on the couch in the sitting room." Abbey replied. When she saw her husband had been adequately chastised she turned back to the group, "Anyway... I want to say, thank you and all my best wishes to Lilli and welcome to my daughter, Jennifer."
Everyone applauded and the room slowly began to fill with the sounds of laughter and people talking.
It was at that moment that Marrah skipped over to Toby and took him by the hand. Without a word, she drug him over to where her mother stood.
Toby and Jennifer stared at one another, not saying a word.
Marrah tugged on both their hands and, in a loud voice that silenced the entire room, said "You two are mad at each other... Grandpa said you should just kiss and make up... And I think so too. So, kiss and make up now."
Jed groaned as Abbey landed a solid slap on his arm. She looked at him with unbelieving eyes. He simply looked back at her and shrugged sheepishly.
Jennifer froze in her place. She looked down at her little girl and then back at Toby. She opened her mouth to say something and then bolted out of the room.
Toby stared after her for a long moment in the tensely quiet room. He let out a sigh and then followed her out the doors in search of her.
**
Jennifer rushed through the halls of the White House, trying to distance herself from the man she knew was following her... She finally broke out into a run ... she didn't know where she was running to ... all she knew was what she was running from. ~~~ Toby tried to catch Jennifer as she bolted through the residence. He lost sight of her as she turned a corner. When he turned the corner himself, she was no where in sight, "Damn you, Bartlet," he muttered. He stood in place for a moment, trying to catch his breath. After a moment, he resumed his search ~~~ Jennifer finally slammed into her office. She locked the door and slid down on the floor in front of the door...
What had she been thinking? Why had she come back here?
Because she had wanted to be near Toby... Not a hard answer really ... but a frightening one. ~~~ Toby searched through the halls of the West Wing... Where the hell had she gone?
Toby lifted an eyebrow as an idea came to him. He walked, quickly, down the hall and into the Office of the First Lady. He looked over to Jennifer's office ... the door was closed.
And he could hear the sound of labored breathing coming from behind that door. He walked over to the door in complete silence. After a moment, he knocked gently on the door, "Come on, Bartlet, open the door."
From the behind the door, Jennifer sat perfectly still ... she hoped that he might think she wasn't there.
"I know you're there," Toby called. "Open the door, I wanna talk to you."
Jennifer buried her head in the hand... He was the last person she wanted to talk to... Maybe if she just ignored him he'd get the message and go away.
"Dammit Jennifer!" Toby finally shouted. "I swear to you, if you don't open this door I'll knock the damn thing down!"
Without a word, Jennifer unlocked the door as she scooted over and leaned against the wall behind it.
Toby heard the door unlock. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He stepped into the darkness and looked around, "Where-"
"I'm here." Jennifer sighed from her place on the floor.
Toby closed the door and looked down at her, "What are you doing down there?"
Jennifer looked up at him, "Sitting on the floor."
"Jennifer..."
"Well... I am."
Toby shook his head and repressed a sigh. He was going to have to be gentle right now, he could see that much... However, gentility wasn't something he was known for... Especially when he was hurt and angry.
Jennifer dropped her eyes to the floor, "I guess you wanna know why, right?"
"That might be a good place to start."
"I had to go back to California... I had a camp to run. I-"
"Jennifer, you know that's not what I want to know."
Jennifer sighed, "Yeah... I know," she picked at the fuzz on the carpet. "I don't do good-byes... I don't like them. Every time someone tells me bye, I never see them again... They leave me... They leave me when I need them the most..."
Toby looked down at her, not saying a word.
"It's easier to leave before someone has the chance to leave me ... like they always do..." Jennifer said quietly. "It's easier to run."
"Who left you?" Toby asked softly.
Jennifer shook her head, "It doesn't matter." She rose from her place on the floor. She straightened her clothing and put a hand on the door, "I'm sorry I left without telling you... It was wrong of me. I hope we can work together in the future without having any problems."
Toby stared at her in disbelief, "Jennifer."
"Come on, we should go back to the party." Jennifer said as she began to open the door.
Suddenly, Toby lunged out and grabbed her by the arm. He made her look him in the eye, "No way... You're going to sit on the couch and tell me everything. And I mean everything."
"Toby..." Jennifer said in an almost pleading voice.
Toby shook his head as he pulled her away from the door. He turned the lock and guided her to the couch, "Sit." He commanded.
Jennifer looked at him, some of her old stubbornness rising to the surface.
Toby recognized it immediately, "If you do not sit down now, I will sit on you so that you cannot move." He saw her right eyebrow rise, "And you know damn well that I'll do it too."
Jennifer sighed, she did know that he would make good on that threat. She sat on the couch and waited until Toby sat beside her. She looked over at him unhappily.
"You owe me a complete explanation Jennifer Bartlet." Toby said quietly. "And I want it ... and I want it now."
Jennifer sighed, "About six years ago I was living with this guy out in California... He was several years older than me and Mom and Dad couldn't stand him. I thought they were just being over protective and that they didn't trust me... They really didn't trust him... They thought he was a dirt bag ... and they were right..."
"What happened?"
"I found out I was pregnant with Marrah and I was so happy Toby... It was unexpected ... but I was over the moon happy." Jennifer said, thinking of her daughter. "I was so excited to tell him... But when I did ... when I did he looked at me and, very calmly, told me to get rid of it..."
Almost without realizing it, Toby found that he had taken one of Jennifer's hands in his. Jennifer gripped it tightly.
"I told him no... I was horrified that he would tell me to do that..." Jennifer said, staring off into space. "He told me to get rid of it or he'd leave ... he didn't want kids and he didn't want a fat girlfriend... He left... I went home to Mom and Dad's. Dad made him sign a document that severed his ties to Marrah ... but he made my life hell for a very long time, Toby."
Toby took his free hand and tugged on a piece of her hair very lightly. Jennifer turned her face and stared at him. Toby held her face in his hand, "I'm still hurt Jennifer ... and I'm still angry." Jennifer tried to look
away, but Toby held her chin firmly, "But I... I understand Jennifer... I understand.... Do you remember when you made me go roller skating?"
Jennifer smiled weakly at the memory.
"I didn't want to do it... I was so sure I was going to fall down and kill myself." Toby said. "But I didn't fall down ... there were a couple of close calls, as I recall... But I didn't fall. You were there ... just like you
said you'd be. And you didn't let me fall... So, I say this to you now... It's all right. I'm right here. I'm not going to let you fall... I'm right here with you."
Jennifer closed her eyes and she felt tears sliding down her face. She opened her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Toby... I'm so sorry."
Toby pulled her into his arms... Only she could get him to roller skate ... and only she could get him to reveal the gentle side he hid so expertly from the rest of the world.
Jennifer clung to him as she cried. When her tears ceased, she looked back into his eyes. Toby ran his hand through her hair and wiped the tears away from her face.
"Can we try this again?" Jennifer whispered.
Toby touched her cheek gently, "Yeah ... we can try this again."
Jennifer smiled a real smile as he brought her lips down to meet his.
THE END
by: Rhiannon McMahon
Disclaimer: Okay... I own the story and the extra characters. All else belongs to a power much greater than I...
*** Thanks to AJ for the idea & for the title.... and for, once again, helping me figure out what the heck I'm doing!***
Lilli Mays knocked on the door of her boss's office, "Abbey?"
Abbey looked up from the floor, "Come in."
Lilli walked in and smiled when she saw the First Lady playing with her ten month boys on the floor of her office, "Abbey, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment..."
"Now?" Abbey asked, trying to catch Chase before he teetered too far away from her.
"Yes, ma'am ... it's kinda important." Lilli said.
"Okay, what's up?" Abbey asked, sitting with the quiet Matthew in her lap while Chase journeyed away. "Have a seat."
"Okay," Lilli said, sitting on the couch. "I hate to do this to you, but I've been dating this man on a serious basis for a while now... I think we're ready to go to the next level and I-"
"Chase!" Abbey said, loudly.
Lilli looked over and saw the little, auburn haired boy with a handful of leaves from a plant nearby. Abbey sighed as she placed Matthew down and scooted over to nab her other son. She brought Chase back over to the blanket where his brother waited.
"I'm sorry Lilli ... you were saying?" Abbey said, looking back up at the, other woman.
"Well, this man and I are thinking about marriage and-"
"Well, that's wonderful."
"Yes, ma'am and he's being transferred to another state and-"
"Chase Robert!" Abbey exclaimed once again. The little boy was trying to climb into a large pot where a large tree was planted. Abbey sighed as she rose and retrieved the errant little toddler once more. "I'm sorry Lilli..."
"That's okay." Lilli took a deep breath of air and decided to say it quickly and then leave the office. "He's moving to Oklahoma in two weeks and I'm going with him."
Abbey still thoroughly engrossed in what her sons were doing nodded, "That's great Lilli..."
Lilli shook her head and rose from the couch, "I'm going to go back to work now."
"Okay Lilli, thanks." Abbey replied, completely distracted.
Lilli walked out the doors and was almost to her own office when she heard an exclamation from Abbey's office.
"WHAT?!" a half a second later Abbey emerged from her office, both boys in tow. "Lilli, what did you just say?!" ~~~ "She's what?" Jed asked as they climbed into bed later that night.
"She's moving to Oklahoma with her boyfriend in two weeks ... which means I have to find a new Chief of Staff." Abbey groaned. She shook her head, "It's always something..."
"Yeah, I know ... speaking of always something," Jed said. "Have you heard from our little magician of a daughter lately?"
Abbey sighed, "Jennifer's still in California running that children's camp ... she's good at it. And she likes it..."
Jed snorted, "She needs to get good at telling people goodbye instead of just up and leaving."
"She told us goodbye, Jed." Abbey said quietly. "Which is more than she did the last time she left."
"Yeah ... but I wish she had told a certain other person she was leaving, instead of leaving it to me." Jed shook his head.
Abbey nodded, "Yeah... I know."
"Yeah..." Jed said, turning off the light. He laid flat on his back and Abbey snuggled into him, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and they both began to drift off to sleep.
All of a sudden a loud crying was heard on the intercom from the boys' bedroom. Jed and Abbey groaned.
Jed looked down at her, "Your son wants you, Abbey."
"Oh, no. He wants his daddy."
"No, Abbey, I really think-"
"Did I ever tell you how painful it was for me after they were born?" Abbey said, looking up at him. "As in ... how much pain I was in after I gave you not one, but two sons."
Jed looked at her for a moment and then rose from the bed, flinging the covers over her, "Fine! Fine! Fine! I'll go. Never mind that I'm the President and the most powerful man in the world and need my rest. I'll be happy to go so you can stay in bed..."
Abbey laughed as she watched her complaining husband stomp out the bedroom door. She waited a full minute and then hopped out of bed herself to join him.
** The next morning, Leo walked into the Oval Office expecting to see an alert and chipper President. Instead, he found his best friend and President laying on one of the couches ... asleep. Leo shook his head, sending up thanks that his days of getting up in the middle of the night with a small child were
over.
"Mr. President." Leo said quietly as he tapped Jed on the shoulder. When he didn't get any response, he poked him again, "Mr. President."
Jed's hand shot out and grabbed Leo's hand, "I'm going to turn you and Charlie into the FBI for committing a federal offense."
"And what might that be, sir?"
"Waking me up." Jed said, finally opening his eyes. "What do you want?"
"I heard that Lilli Mays is leaving." Leo said, taking a seat across from Jed.
Jed nodded, "Yeah, and now Abbey has to find a new Chief of Staff ... she's in a tailspin trying to figure out how she's going to replace Lilli."
"I can imagine," Leo said. "Lilli's good at what she does, she'll be hard to replace."
"Yeah," Jed said, stretching from his place on the couch. "But, if anyone can find a replacement, it's Abbey." ~~~ "Come on," Abbey said into the phone. "It's a wonderful opportunity... Moving to Washington would be great for you and you know it..... I know you have other responsibilities and I know you love what you're doing now. But you can do a lot more good working with and for me.... You know there's more to this
job than playing hall monitor... Look at Leo.... No, he's not the hall monitor any more and you know that.... Okay ... then you'll do it?.... That's great! This is going to be great!..... Yeah, okay. You got it.... I won't say
a word until you get here.... How soon can you be here?..... Well, I was thinking that if you came tomorrow sometime, then CJ could announce it at a press briefing.... Lilli doesn't really leave for another two weeks... Yeah, she'll give you a run down and then she's out of here.... I think the sooner
the quicker is how she'd like it.... Okay, then come tomorrow and we'll announce it.... If you need to tie up any loose ends you can do that later.... Okay, I'll see you tomorrow night then.... Yeah, I'll make sure....
Okay, bye."
Abbey hung up the phone, rather pleased with herself... She had just convinced the one person in the country who was best suited to this job to take it...
She was rather pleased with herself indeed.
** Toby Ziegler walked into his office with his usual grumpy attitude early the next morning. He had just finished yelling at Sam, so he felt marginally better... But not much. He threw the papers that were in his hand onto his desk and fell onto his couch.
He looked across his office to the wall that contained some of the most important pieces of paper in his life... Pictures that Marrah Bartlet had drawn for him.
For the past ten months, the little girl had been sending him crayon drawing and small art projects. He had taken each one of them and stapled them to his office wall... The innocence of the artist had given him a well- needed dose of positive energy when he needed it the most. And he loved the fact that the
little girl sent him pictures, although he'd never admit that to anyone.
Abbey Bartlet had given him a picture of Marrah when Jennifer sent a package of them to her parents. Abbey had done it quietly and without any spoken words at all. He kept the photo of the little blond girl on top of a filing cabinet, out of the immediate line of site of visitors.
But he hadn't actually seen Marrah or her mother since January... He saw them the day before they left, but he hadn't known that Jennifer was planning on going back to California the next day... And Jed Bartlet had been the one that told him... ~~~ (Flashback- January of that year)
Toby walked into the Oval Office two minutes after being told that the President wanted to see him.
"Toby." Jed had said.
"Yes, Mr. President?"
"Come in and have a seat." Jed said, coming from behind his desk.
"Thank you sir," Toby replied. "I think I'd prefer to stand, if you don't mind."
"Not at all." Jed said, a troubled look on his face. He hated doing this. If he ever got his hands on his daughter, he'd wring her little neck for making him do this. "Toby, I know that you and my daughter have grown very ... close in the last month."
"Sir?"
Jed held up a hand and sighed, "Toby, there's no good way to tell you this, so I better just come right out and say it... Jennifer left for California this morning. Her camp called two days ago and they needed her back. She and Marrah have gone back home."
Toby stared at him. He pursed his lips, "I see ... and for how long?"
"For good, as far as I know." Jed said quietly. He could have kicked Jennifer into orbit for doing this to Toby. "She's not good at good-byes ... she didn't tell anyone but her mother and me..."
Toby nodded his head, "Okay, Mr. President. Is that all?"
"Yes, Toby." Jed said, dismissing him.
"Thank you, sir." Toby said, leaving the room. ~~~ And that had been it. Not a single word of communication from Jennifer since then...
Toby sighed, trying to rub the headache out of his head.
Someone knocked on the closed door. "What?" Toby called.
The door opened and Josh stuck his head in through the crack, "Hey, just wanted to let you know that you need to stay late tonight. Mrs. Bartlet's new Chief of Staff is arriving today and she and the President want to introduce Lilli's replacement to us."
"Who is it?"
Josh shrugged, "Don't know... The President doesn't even know."
"What? Why?" Toby asked.
Josh shrugged again, "Who knows, you know Mrs. Bartlet. There's no telling what she's got on her mind."
Toby just nodded, "Fine, get out. I have work to do."
"Okay..." Josh hesitated for a moment. "Hey Toby?"
"What?"
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
Toby looked up at him, "Out ... now."
Josh nodded and closed the door.
** Jed's staff gathered in the Oval Office around ten o'clock at night. They all knew that they were going to meet the First Lady's new Chief of Staff.
Jed sat at his desk, watching his sons charm the pants off his staff. Matthew sat in Margaret's lap as he played with Leo's tie. Donna sat nearby, watching the even-tempered twin. Sam, CJ, and Josh were taking turns running after Chase. Every few seconds, one of then would have to get up and nab the little
hell on wheels and bring him back to where everyone else was sitting.
Well, everyone by Toby.
Jed uttered a mental sigh at the sight of his Communications Director leaning up against a wall, keeping his distance from the scene playing out in front of him.
Finally, the door swung open and Abbey walked in. Little Chase ran to her the moment her saw her. Abbey reached down and picked her little boy up, "First of all, I'm sorry you all have had to stay here so late. But, my new Chief of Staff couldn't get a plane until late and I wanted you all to meet her tonight."
CJ looked up, "Abbey, do you and the President want me to add this to the morning briefing tomorrow?"
Abbey looked over at her husband. Jed shrugged, "I'd just like to know who you con- I mean, hired ... for the job."
Abbey raised an eyebrow and looked her husband straight in the eye. Jed looked at his wife for a long moment. Suddenly, it dawned on him who she had hired. His eyes immediately shifted to Toby for a brief second.
"Grandpa!" a young voice called out, all at once.
Every jaw dropped as a little, blonde haired girl ran into the room. The little girl ran over to her grandfather and jumped into his arms.
"Hey, Baby!" Jed exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Marrah looked up at him excitedly, "Mommy's going to work for Grandma now! I get to see you all the time!"
"In fact, she gets to live with her grandfather now," an alto voice called from the doorway.
Jed looked up. There, standing in the doorway next to her mother, was his middle daughter. Jed sighed ... he wished to high Heaven that this child of his would revamp her entire wardrobe. She stood there wearing a short, tight back leather skirt and a tight back shirt. Over this she wore a long black overcoat that came close to hitting the floor and Jed could see her customary four inch black boots from where he was sitting.
Abbey grinned, "Jennifer has agreed to take Lilli's place and be my Chief of Staff..."
The group assembled rose and rushed forward to greet Jennifer. Jennifer, however, was more focused on her dad. The two made eye contact and Jennifer asked him a silent question. Jed responded by shifting his gaze to a place on the other side of the open door... a place she couldn't see.
Jennifer took a couple steps into the room and looked to the other side of the door just in time to see Toby Ziegler's retreating back as he walked out of the room.
** Jennifer Bartlet sat in the one place in the entire White House she was sure she'd never be found ... her own office.
Lilli Mays had moved out earlier that day after showing Jennifer all the projects and calendars her mother had in the works... Jennifer had walked back down to the office hours later. And now, she was laying on her couch, listening to the silence.
She thought back over the past ten months... She had loved her job running a year-round camp for abused children. There they were taught love and respect ... both commodities they all lacked... Every child that walked through the ranch gates was loved.
When her mother called her to let her know she was pregnant, Jennifer had finished up a couple of loose ends and packed up and traveled to Washington... That following January, the person she had left in charge had called her ... she was needed back at the ranch. Jennifer packed her things and she and Marrah left for California the next morning.
She had told her parents goodbye...
But she didn't tell Toby ... she left that for her father to do. A chore he came close to killing her for shoving off on him. It was wrong of her to leave without telling him and she knew it... But telling someone goodbye had never been her talent...
Especially when it was someone she was falling in love with... ~~~ {Flashback- Early January}
"Come on Ziegler!" Jennifer exclaimed. "Learn to live a little!"
"This is the exact reason why I have lived this long, Bartlet! Because I don't do stupid things like this!" Toby retorted.
Jennifer put her hands on her hips. She pursed her lips and then rolled over to where Toby was standing, with his hands tightly gripping the wall.
Toby shook his head when he saw her coming for him ... how the HELL had he let her convince him to take her roller skating? He felt like a fool and he was quite sure he looked like one as well, "Jennifer, no. I feel like an idiot. I can't skate, I'm going to fall down and kill myself... Just think about the headlines... White House Communications Director kills himself while roller skating with demented First Daughter."
Jennifer laughed, "First of all... I'm not demented! Second of all, I've yet to hear of anyone dying from roller skating on a rink."
"There's a first time for everything." Toby muttered, trying to stay on a vertical base.
"And third," Jennifer said, ignoring his last comment. "I'm right here, Toby. I won't let you fall, okay? I'm right here with you." ~~~ A knock on the door jerked Jennifer out of her thoughts, "Come in." Jennifer smiled when the door opened to reveal, "Joshy."
Josh grinned at her, "The one and only."
Jennifer patted the couch, "Have a seat. What's up?"
"Nothing much, Jeffener." Josh said, sitting beside her. "You haven't seen him yet, have you?"
Jennifer shook her head, "No ... he left the Office the moment he found out Mom's new Chief of Staff was me. Can't say that I blame him, though."
Josh shook his head, "I don't." He looked his friend in the eye, "He was pretty upset when you left without even telling him."
"Yeah... I know." Jennifer nodded her head. "I just don't do good-byes Joshy... You know that."
"Yeah, I do know that Jeffener," Josh said quietly. "But I also know that Toby deserved to hear it from you ... and not your father."
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
Jennifer nodded, "Yeah..." ** Toby stood uncomfortably in the Residence of the White House. Both the President and the First Lady had invited their staff to a farewell party for Lilli Mays and a welcome party for Jennifer.
Well, invited wasn't the best word for it ... forced seemed more appropriate.
And Toby was hating every moment of it... He hated being in the same room with Jennifer. He hated being so close to her after what she did to him...
Especially after what went on the last time they were in the same room together... ~~~ {Flashback- Early January, Toby's office}
"So?"
"So, what?" Jennifer looked at him.
Toby sighed, "So, what do think?"
"It's good."
"It's good? Is that all you can say, Bartlet?"
Jennifer made a face, "Fine... It's a masterful piece of speech writing that was written by a master of the English language... That better, Ziegler?"
Toby smirked in spite of himself, "That's better... You're getting good at that."
"Well, thanks." Jennifer said, in mock defense. "I'd like to think I'm getting good at something else beside sticking my foot in my mouth when it come to you."
Toby turned the computer off and sat down next to Jennifer on the couch, "Well... I wouldn't say that that is the only thing you're getting good at."
"Oh, you wouldn't would you?" Jennifer said, laughing as he leaned in for a kiss.
Toby broke the kiss, "Defiantly not the only thing you're good at."
Jennifer grinned, "Well, I'm so glad you think so."
"Me too." Toby said, pressing her down into the couch. ~~~ Toby drifted out of his thoughts as he noticed Abbey Bartlet commanding the attention of the room. He looked over to her as she began to speak.
"Well, I'd like to say thank you to all of you for coming... I know some of you came willingly ... while some of you were persuaded to come in a rather ... creative manner." Abbey said, glancing over at her husband.
Jed looked at her with innocent eyes.
"First off, I want to say how much I have enjoyed having Lilli as my Chief of Staff. I'll be forever grateful that I got her from my husband's staff." Abbey smiled. "Lilli, you are wonderful at what you do... You've been a valued colleague and invaluable to me on so many occasions. Thank you so very much."
Through Abbey's speech, Jed stood slightly to her right. He kept rolling his eyes and began trying to touch his nose with his tongue... As he did all of this, he hummed, 'Happy Days Are Here Again.'
Abbey gave him a quick glance and continued with her speech, "But I am very happy to have my daughter take over as Chief of Staff. I called her the day after Lilli told me she was leaving and somehow I con-.... I mean, I convinced Jennifer that taking this job would be a rewarding experience for her."
Jed snorted next to her. Abbey glanced at him again and he continued to hum.
She took a deep breath, "I'm very excited to have her here with me and-" Abbey, finally reaching her breaking point turned to her humming husband, "Jed!"
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Like sleeping on the couch, do you?" Abbey asked, raising an eyebrow.
The group assembled laughed as Jed looked at her with large eyes, "No ... why do you ask?"
"Because ... you keep humming like you've enjoyed your past slumbers on the couch in the sitting room." Abbey replied. When she saw her husband had been adequately chastised she turned back to the group, "Anyway... I want to say, thank you and all my best wishes to Lilli and welcome to my daughter, Jennifer."
Everyone applauded and the room slowly began to fill with the sounds of laughter and people talking.
It was at that moment that Marrah skipped over to Toby and took him by the hand. Without a word, she drug him over to where her mother stood.
Toby and Jennifer stared at one another, not saying a word.
Marrah tugged on both their hands and, in a loud voice that silenced the entire room, said "You two are mad at each other... Grandpa said you should just kiss and make up... And I think so too. So, kiss and make up now."
Jed groaned as Abbey landed a solid slap on his arm. She looked at him with unbelieving eyes. He simply looked back at her and shrugged sheepishly.
Jennifer froze in her place. She looked down at her little girl and then back at Toby. She opened her mouth to say something and then bolted out of the room.
Toby stared after her for a long moment in the tensely quiet room. He let out a sigh and then followed her out the doors in search of her.
**
Jennifer rushed through the halls of the White House, trying to distance herself from the man she knew was following her... She finally broke out into a run ... she didn't know where she was running to ... all she knew was what she was running from. ~~~ Toby tried to catch Jennifer as she bolted through the residence. He lost sight of her as she turned a corner. When he turned the corner himself, she was no where in sight, "Damn you, Bartlet," he muttered. He stood in place for a moment, trying to catch his breath. After a moment, he resumed his search ~~~ Jennifer finally slammed into her office. She locked the door and slid down on the floor in front of the door...
What had she been thinking? Why had she come back here?
Because she had wanted to be near Toby... Not a hard answer really ... but a frightening one. ~~~ Toby searched through the halls of the West Wing... Where the hell had she gone?
Toby lifted an eyebrow as an idea came to him. He walked, quickly, down the hall and into the Office of the First Lady. He looked over to Jennifer's office ... the door was closed.
And he could hear the sound of labored breathing coming from behind that door. He walked over to the door in complete silence. After a moment, he knocked gently on the door, "Come on, Bartlet, open the door."
From the behind the door, Jennifer sat perfectly still ... she hoped that he might think she wasn't there.
"I know you're there," Toby called. "Open the door, I wanna talk to you."
Jennifer buried her head in the hand... He was the last person she wanted to talk to... Maybe if she just ignored him he'd get the message and go away.
"Dammit Jennifer!" Toby finally shouted. "I swear to you, if you don't open this door I'll knock the damn thing down!"
Without a word, Jennifer unlocked the door as she scooted over and leaned against the wall behind it.
Toby heard the door unlock. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He stepped into the darkness and looked around, "Where-"
"I'm here." Jennifer sighed from her place on the floor.
Toby closed the door and looked down at her, "What are you doing down there?"
Jennifer looked up at him, "Sitting on the floor."
"Jennifer..."
"Well... I am."
Toby shook his head and repressed a sigh. He was going to have to be gentle right now, he could see that much... However, gentility wasn't something he was known for... Especially when he was hurt and angry.
Jennifer dropped her eyes to the floor, "I guess you wanna know why, right?"
"That might be a good place to start."
"I had to go back to California... I had a camp to run. I-"
"Jennifer, you know that's not what I want to know."
Jennifer sighed, "Yeah... I know," she picked at the fuzz on the carpet. "I don't do good-byes... I don't like them. Every time someone tells me bye, I never see them again... They leave me... They leave me when I need them the most..."
Toby looked down at her, not saying a word.
"It's easier to leave before someone has the chance to leave me ... like they always do..." Jennifer said quietly. "It's easier to run."
"Who left you?" Toby asked softly.
Jennifer shook her head, "It doesn't matter." She rose from her place on the floor. She straightened her clothing and put a hand on the door, "I'm sorry I left without telling you... It was wrong of me. I hope we can work together in the future without having any problems."
Toby stared at her in disbelief, "Jennifer."
"Come on, we should go back to the party." Jennifer said as she began to open the door.
Suddenly, Toby lunged out and grabbed her by the arm. He made her look him in the eye, "No way... You're going to sit on the couch and tell me everything. And I mean everything."
"Toby..." Jennifer said in an almost pleading voice.
Toby shook his head as he pulled her away from the door. He turned the lock and guided her to the couch, "Sit." He commanded.
Jennifer looked at him, some of her old stubbornness rising to the surface.
Toby recognized it immediately, "If you do not sit down now, I will sit on you so that you cannot move." He saw her right eyebrow rise, "And you know damn well that I'll do it too."
Jennifer sighed, she did know that he would make good on that threat. She sat on the couch and waited until Toby sat beside her. She looked over at him unhappily.
"You owe me a complete explanation Jennifer Bartlet." Toby said quietly. "And I want it ... and I want it now."
Jennifer sighed, "About six years ago I was living with this guy out in California... He was several years older than me and Mom and Dad couldn't stand him. I thought they were just being over protective and that they didn't trust me... They really didn't trust him... They thought he was a dirt bag ... and they were right..."
"What happened?"
"I found out I was pregnant with Marrah and I was so happy Toby... It was unexpected ... but I was over the moon happy." Jennifer said, thinking of her daughter. "I was so excited to tell him... But when I did ... when I did he looked at me and, very calmly, told me to get rid of it..."
Almost without realizing it, Toby found that he had taken one of Jennifer's hands in his. Jennifer gripped it tightly.
"I told him no... I was horrified that he would tell me to do that..." Jennifer said, staring off into space. "He told me to get rid of it or he'd leave ... he didn't want kids and he didn't want a fat girlfriend... He left... I went home to Mom and Dad's. Dad made him sign a document that severed his ties to Marrah ... but he made my life hell for a very long time, Toby."
Toby took his free hand and tugged on a piece of her hair very lightly. Jennifer turned her face and stared at him. Toby held her face in his hand, "I'm still hurt Jennifer ... and I'm still angry." Jennifer tried to look
away, but Toby held her chin firmly, "But I... I understand Jennifer... I understand.... Do you remember when you made me go roller skating?"
Jennifer smiled weakly at the memory.
"I didn't want to do it... I was so sure I was going to fall down and kill myself." Toby said. "But I didn't fall down ... there were a couple of close calls, as I recall... But I didn't fall. You were there ... just like you
said you'd be. And you didn't let me fall... So, I say this to you now... It's all right. I'm right here. I'm not going to let you fall... I'm right here with you."
Jennifer closed her eyes and she felt tears sliding down her face. She opened her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Toby... I'm so sorry."
Toby pulled her into his arms... Only she could get him to roller skate ... and only she could get him to reveal the gentle side he hid so expertly from the rest of the world.
Jennifer clung to him as she cried. When her tears ceased, she looked back into his eyes. Toby ran his hand through her hair and wiped the tears away from her face.
"Can we try this again?" Jennifer whispered.
Toby touched her cheek gently, "Yeah ... we can try this again."
Jennifer smiled a real smile as he brought her lips down to meet his.
THE END