Dirty Dealings
Part 3
"Sir, can you give us any indication as to who might want to hurt Ms. McGarry? Is there anyone she has been having problems with?" The police officer looked expectantly at Leo.
Leo swallowed and took a shaky breath. "Abbey was..." His mind raced, but no coherent thought formed.
"The state of the house does not indicate a robbery," the officer again focused on Leo, taking in his obvious agitation.
"I don't think it was a robbery." Leo was walking a fine line, trying to be truthful, but not reveal anything.
"Sir, you called the ambulance, correct?" the officer referred to his report.
Leo nodded.
"You were not with Ms. McGarry, but at home, is that correct?" The officer waited for Leo to elaborate.
Leo only nodded again.
"If you weren't with Ms. McGarry and she had been knocked unconscious, how did you know to call an ambulance?" the officer asked pointedly.
Panic blanketed Leo's eyes. He fiddled with the top button on his shirt and resisted the urge to throw up.
"I think my husband has answered all the questions he can for tonight." Jenny put her arm around Leo and pulled him reassuringly against her.
The policeman started to protest. "Ma'am, we need..."
"I think you can understand, officer. My husband is quite shaken. His sister-in-law has been attacked and we are waiting to hear about her condition. I'm afraid the rest of your questions are going to have to wait for another time." Jenny protectively put her body between the officer and Leo. She moved him toward the couch, cutting off the officer. "Come on, honey, the nurse brought you some coffee."
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Sitting in a small room with vinyl furniture and too strong coffee is difficult and what made it more difficult for Jenny was it wasn't that long ago she had been in the same position, waiting for news on Laurie and her husband. Glancing at her husband beside her, she was grateful for his recovery and for Laurie's. She hoped Abbey would be just as lucky.
Leo didn't know if Jed would ever forgive him once he learned the truth. He didn't even know if he could forgive himself. He knew he was shaking when he felt Jenny start stroking one of his arms.
They had not been in the hospital for more than ten minutes when Leo saw the familiar men in black suits checking around, moving people aside and talking to the nurses. He prepared himself for who would soon be coming through the doors. It didn't take long before Jed came, half running, with panic written all over his face.
Seeing Leo and Jenny rise he called out to them. "What happened? How is she?" He took deep breaths to try and calm down.
Giving her husband no time to answer, Jenny spoke up. "We don't know anything. When we got here they told us Abbey had just been brought in so we know nothing, really."
Jed nodded while running one hand through his hair. The ride to the hospital had seemed to go on forever. "Josh said something about someone in her house?"
Jenny noticed Leo's hand gripping hers as she spoke. "We went straight here from our house, but the paramedics said that she suffered a blow to her head and was bleeding heavily. They found her in the kitchen."
In that moment Jed made a decision. "From now on she is going to get protection. And the kids, also."
Leo spoke up for the first time since Jed had arrived. "Secret Service?"
Jed nodded, but said nothing. He couldn't even understand how something like this could happen. Abbey wasn't the type who just let anyone into her house.
"I'm not sure she would want that." Leo knew saying that wouldn't stop Jed from ordering protection for Abbey.
"Well, she's just going to have to live with it." The moment it flew out of his mouth, he regretted saying it.
Seeing Jed's face go white, Jenny let go of Leo and went to Jed. She put her arms around him in a gesture of comfort. "She'll be OK, Jed. She'll be fine."
Jed, in almost a maniacal way, embraced Jenny in return. He was grateful for the support. "Yeah." He let go of Jenny but not before giving her a brief smile in thanks.
Leo embraced Jed quickly, but didn't say anything. He didn't feel like he belonged there. He was partly, if not entirely, responsible for Abbey being in the hospital in the first place. He joined Jenny and Jed when they sat, but he didn't participate in much of the conversation.
"Ron Butterfield is on his way over here. He wants to talk to the two of you. Seeing as how Abbey and I are together, he is concerned that Abbey being attacked could be some sort of way to get to me. Even though we haven't gone public yet, we haven't been exactly discrete." Jed looked from Leo to Jenny. "It's imperative that we find out what the motive was for this."
Jenny remained calm. "I'm sure you'll get answers soon."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another twenty minutes passed before the doctor finally approached them. They all stood. "Mr. and Mrs. McGarry." The man nodded to them in acknowledgment. "Mr. President."
Jed accepted his hand while Jenny and Leo greeted him. "Do you have any news on Abbey?"
"Yes. We did a Head CT and determined that there is no skull fracture, but she has a moderate concussion. Her vitals are strong and she is breathing on her own, but she won't be completely out of the woods until she wakes up and that might not be for a few hours."
Jed nodded, not feeling much better. "Can we see her?"
"Of course. It might help if you talk to her."
"Thank you." Jed took the doctor's hand in one of his again. And after him Leo and Jenny did the same.
Jenny saw how awful Leo felt. "Jed, why don't you go in first? We'll be right behind you." She took Leo's hand again and gave it a squeeze.
Jed didn't ponder much on why she insisted he go to see Abbey first and he didn't object. He followed the doctor to show him the way. Soon he reached a small room and he wasted no time in opening the door to go inside. He forced his feet to move him to the bed. Abbey had a large bandage on her head and she looked very pale, but she wasn't hooked to any monitors which was a good sign. He reached out to touch her cheek. "Guess who?"
Jed took a seat next to Abbey's bed and waited. After he had sat there for an eternity, which his watch told him was actually fifteen minutes, he heard the door open and Jenny came quietly into the room.
She stood beside the bed, gently touching Abbey's hand. "Abbey, it's Jenny. Leo and I are here. The girls are fine. Josh picked them up and took them over to Donna's and now they are helping them with their homework." Her eyes then moved to Jed in the chair.
Jed looked back to the door. Was Leo talking to the doctor? Was he being told something about Abbey's condition? After all, Leo was listed as Abbey's next of kin and there might be something the doctor would want to see him about. Jed's eyes flew back to Jenny. "Where's Leo?"
Jenny made her way across the room. "He's in the waiting room."
"Why?" It was the first thing that popped into the President's head. "Is there some problem at The White House?"
Jenny shook her head slowly. "He's a little apprehensive, Jed." That was certainly an understatement. She had done her best to comfort him, but she couldn't give him what he really needed. Jenny looked at the man in front of her, the man who had all the power.
Jed frowned. He was scared for Abbey, too, but he couldn't imagine staying away. "Is he on his way?"
"I think he needs a few minutes, Jed. He needs time to process all he's feeling," Jenny answered.
Jed felt more then a little uneasy. Jenny wasn't telling him something. He thought back over Leo's behaviour in the last week. "Is he okay? Should I go to him?"
He saw Jenny tense. It was clear a debate was going on in her head. She finally whispered. "Yes."
"You'll..." Jed gestured to Abbey.
"I'll be right here with her," Jenny promised, taking the seat vacated by Jed
Jed walked quickly to the waiting room. As he approached, he could see Leo sitting on the couch with his arms folded tightly across his chest. Leo didn't seem to notice him. Jed took a seat across from him. "Leo?"
Leo's eyes jerked to the President.
Jed sensed the adrenaline pump through Leo's body like he was thinking of fleeing. "Are you coming to see Abbey? She's not awake, but she could know that we're there."
Leo struggled with the words. "I can't."
"Leo." Jed leaned forward. "I know it's scary to see someone we love hurt." He watched Leo nervously fiddle with the small bandage that still covered part of his hand. "Is this about your accident? Is it bringing back bad memories?"
The adrenaline rush became too much for Leo. He lurched to his feet and tried to control his voice. "It's MY fault Abbey's here."
"Did you hit her?" Jed knew he was asking a ridiculous question.
Leo looked horrified. "NO, I DIDN'T HIT HER!"
"Short of that I don't know how this could be your fault," Jed said, standing also. "Does this have something to do with the way you've been acting?"
Leo knew it had to come out now and he began to speak. "I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to keep Abbey safe." Leo stood rigidly. "He said that if I told he would hurt her. I stayed quiet and he knew that, but he hurt her anyway. Why would he do that?"
"You know who hurt Abbey?" Jed's face contorted in anger. "Tell me and I'll end their miserable life."
Leo waited as long as he could, watched the President's anger escalate, before he whispered. "Lane."
Jed froze. Did Leo know what he was saying? Lane was dead. Leo and Abbey had told him the story of how it happened. Was Leo having a breakdown? "Leo, why don't we sit down? I would really feel better if someone checked you over."
Leo shook his head. "Don't you see? Lane is alive! He didn't die in the struggle with Abbey and he's returned to destroy all our lives. I've known he was back and I kept quiet. I did it to protect Abbey. I'm sorry; please don't hate me."
Jed could not believe what he was hearing. He needed answers. "How could Lane be alive? You're not making any sense. He was stabbed and the police and paramedics came. They pronounced him dead and there was a funeral. I know there was, Leo. I was right there beside you."
"My brother was badly injured, but he recovered. Lane was a powerful senator. He used his influence and his money to persuade the right people to help him fake his death. And now he's back to make us pay." Leo looked pitiful.
"LANE IS ALIVE AND YOU HELPED HIM!" Jed bellowed so loudly that more than one Secret Service agent took a step forward.
"I....." Leo knew no words to explain him self.
Jed couldn't control himself. The rage empowered him. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ABBEY? I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU. I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY BROTHER."
"I am your brother..." Leo squeaked.
"Get out of my sight, Leo!" Jed turned and headed back to Abbey's room.
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Jenny walked down the corridor toward the waiting room. She was afraid of what she would find. When Jed had returned to Abbey's room, she had seen a barely controlled fury that scared her. He had tersely told her that he would sit with Abbey. Not knowing anything else to say, Jenny had left the room without a word.
As she approached, she could see Leo leaning against the arm of the couch, facing the window. Stepping to his side, Jenny could see the tears streaming down his face. He wasn't making a sound, but he didn't have to, his pain was obvious. Leo reached up and scrubbed across his eyes with a fist, trying without success to get himself under control. . "Baby." Jenny reached out and rubbed his back.
Any gesture of comfort simply made it worse for Leo. He didn't deserve comfort. He had betrayed them all.
Jenny moved closer, standing between Leo's legs. She enveloped him in her arms, pressing his head onto her shoulder. "Sshhh, this is all going to work out, honey." Then she just stood there and let Leo cry, releasing all his pent up frustration, pain and guilt.
When she finally didn't feel him shaking anymore, she drew back and looked in his face. Jenny pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped at the remaining tears. "Leo, what did Jed say?"
Leo tried to look away from her.
She took his face between her hands. "Honey, we have to talk about this. We have to make some decisions. Lane is still out there and he's dangerous."
"He told me to get out of his sight," Leo managed. "I'm not his brother..."
Like a spark that triggered an explosion, Jenny was angry. Yes, Leo had done an incredibly stupid thing. Yes, he had put them in danger. Yes, he was partly responsible for Abbey's injury. Yes, he had betrayed their trust. But HE was not the enemy. The truth about family was that they stuck together; that they could be angry, but that they could forgive. They had been family for as long as Jenny could remember. Jed and Leo had been more than friends, more than brothers, connected in a way that defied explanation. How could Jed just forget that? Jenny looked deep into Leo's eyes. "Baby, will you be okay for a few minutes without me?"
His expression showing a bridge of a million miles between there and being okay, Leo nodded.
Jenny kissed him on the forehead. "You sit right here. Promise me."
Not trusting him self to do anything except what Jenny said. Leo simply nodded.
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Jenny blazed back down the hall. Jed was going to listen. She stepped hurriedly into the room.
Upon hearing her enter, Jed looked around and rose from his chair. "Did you know?"
"No," Jenny answered. "I found out today."
"Did he leave? I want him out of here! He's teamed up with a monster against us." The President was giving orders.
"Teamed up?" Jenny spit.
Jed stopped at the unmistakable sound of her anger directed at him. He looked to the bed at Abbey and winced. What were they doing? He had just said that Abbey might be able to hear them. Seeing that Jenny was having the same thought, the President pointed to the door and followed her out.
In the hall, Jenny spun to face the President. "Don't you stand there and say that my husband teamed up with that monster. I won't stand for it! Do you hear me, Jed? Leo no more teamed up with Lane than you did. He was put in an impossible situation and he made what he thought was his only choice."
Jed almost blew a gasket. "HE DIDN'T TELL US THAT LANE WAS ALIVE. HE LIED TO US. HE HELPED HIS BROTHER. WHAT ELSE HAS HE DONE THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT?"
"Don't you yell at me!" Jenny stood her ground with him. "Leo may take all your moods and acquiesce to you no matter how you act, but I DON'T!"
Jed's voice lowered, but not by much. "I'm going to ask the Secret Service to detain and question him. We need to find out Lane's next move." He turned to the agent at the door.
"You have the Secret Service detain Leo and this will be the last time I ever speak to you, Jed Bartlet." Jenny was throwing daggers with her eyes.
He turned back without speaking to the agent. "He didn't tell us there was a threat to Abbey and now she's lying in unconscious. She could still be in danger. I have to find out what else he's not telling us."
Jenny explained things to him. Then YOU sit him down and ask him. He'll tell you everything, Jed. Lane said he would kill you and Abbey if Leo revealed that he was alive, but the secret's out. Lane doesn't have a hold over Leo anymore. He will help us."
"How do I know I can trust him?" Jed asked.
"He's your brother," Jenny answered.
Jed paused to think. "All he had to do was come to me. I could have protected us all." He made it sound so simple.
"It was Abbey's life. He thought staying quiet ensured both of your safety. He wasn't willing to take a chance with you or Abbey under ANY circumstance." Jenny made herself clear.
"Lane is his brother. How could he be so afraid of what Lane was capable of that it would blind him to every other option?" Jed asked.
"I want to share this with you, Jed. I didn't think I'd ever speak of this again after the night Leo told me, but I really feel you need to know," Jenny said.
Jed looked up. His anger could not mask his concern for Leo. "What?"
Jenny still hesitated as tears came to her eyes.
"Hey..." Jed moved closer and put his arm around her. "We're all family here. You can tell me anything."
"Family......, people who love you, people you should be safe with. Lane is Leo's family, Jed. Lane is Leo's brother and he was anything but safe with him." Jenny shuddered as she thought back over some of the stuff she had heard. "Lane would get crazy. The littlest thing would set him off. He'd lock Leo in a dark closet and leave him alone in there for hours. Meanwhile Leo would have to listen to the crying of his sisters who were scared to death of what Lane would do next. Or there would be a thunderstorm and he'd force Leo to stand out in it and since Leo would never relent to doing what Lane wanted, so he would get soaked and shiver for hours."
"And their mother was gone sixteen hours a day, working three jobs just to keep the apartment, and Leo never said a word about what was going on. He didn't want to worry her." Jed surmised.
"He used to threaten him, Jed. Stay quiet or else I'll hurt Josie and Liz or even their mother. Lane always played on Leo's need to protect the people he loves," Jenny said.
"And Leo stayed quiet because the people he loves are always first in his mind," Jed finished. "He stayed quiet then and he stayed quiet now, willing to go through anything to protect."
Jenny nodded. "Looking back he knows it was the wrong choice, Jed. He has so much guilt that it's going to overwhelm him. Can you give him some compassion? After all Jed, you would do the same. You would do anything to protect the one's you love."
Jed nodded sombrely. Jenny was right. He wasn't that much different from Leo. "He's going to have to face Abbey on his own," He said. "I'll be there when he tells her but for Abbey and not for Leo."
Jenny sighed. "I know she'll have a lot of tough questions for him."
"Finding out that degenerate is back is going to tear Abbey apart!" The Jed banged his fist against the wall. "And I don't think Leo is prepared to deal with it either."
Jenny echoed his sentiment. "I'm really worried about how both of them are going to cope. It took a long time for them to heal after all that happened. Being able to share memories and feelings is the only thing that got them through it. I think Leo told Abbey more about the past with Lane than he even told me. They need to be there for each other now more than ever."
"Leo is the one closing down on us." Jed spoke like it was a question, looking for answers from Jenny on how to deal with Leo.
"Jed, you're furious with Lane. Don't punish Leo because you can. He panicked and in that desperation he made some bad choices. Be angry with him, work it out and move on, but don't shut him out. He deserves better than that." Jenny searched Jed's eyes for understanding.
Jed blew out a breath and nodded before hugging Jenny. Where there more things Lane had done to Abbey that he didn't know about? To Leo? And what was he planning now?
TBC....
Part 3
"Sir, can you give us any indication as to who might want to hurt Ms. McGarry? Is there anyone she has been having problems with?" The police officer looked expectantly at Leo.
Leo swallowed and took a shaky breath. "Abbey was..." His mind raced, but no coherent thought formed.
"The state of the house does not indicate a robbery," the officer again focused on Leo, taking in his obvious agitation.
"I don't think it was a robbery." Leo was walking a fine line, trying to be truthful, but not reveal anything.
"Sir, you called the ambulance, correct?" the officer referred to his report.
Leo nodded.
"You were not with Ms. McGarry, but at home, is that correct?" The officer waited for Leo to elaborate.
Leo only nodded again.
"If you weren't with Ms. McGarry and she had been knocked unconscious, how did you know to call an ambulance?" the officer asked pointedly.
Panic blanketed Leo's eyes. He fiddled with the top button on his shirt and resisted the urge to throw up.
"I think my husband has answered all the questions he can for tonight." Jenny put her arm around Leo and pulled him reassuringly against her.
The policeman started to protest. "Ma'am, we need..."
"I think you can understand, officer. My husband is quite shaken. His sister-in-law has been attacked and we are waiting to hear about her condition. I'm afraid the rest of your questions are going to have to wait for another time." Jenny protectively put her body between the officer and Leo. She moved him toward the couch, cutting off the officer. "Come on, honey, the nurse brought you some coffee."
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Sitting in a small room with vinyl furniture and too strong coffee is difficult and what made it more difficult for Jenny was it wasn't that long ago she had been in the same position, waiting for news on Laurie and her husband. Glancing at her husband beside her, she was grateful for his recovery and for Laurie's. She hoped Abbey would be just as lucky.
Leo didn't know if Jed would ever forgive him once he learned the truth. He didn't even know if he could forgive himself. He knew he was shaking when he felt Jenny start stroking one of his arms.
They had not been in the hospital for more than ten minutes when Leo saw the familiar men in black suits checking around, moving people aside and talking to the nurses. He prepared himself for who would soon be coming through the doors. It didn't take long before Jed came, half running, with panic written all over his face.
Seeing Leo and Jenny rise he called out to them. "What happened? How is she?" He took deep breaths to try and calm down.
Giving her husband no time to answer, Jenny spoke up. "We don't know anything. When we got here they told us Abbey had just been brought in so we know nothing, really."
Jed nodded while running one hand through his hair. The ride to the hospital had seemed to go on forever. "Josh said something about someone in her house?"
Jenny noticed Leo's hand gripping hers as she spoke. "We went straight here from our house, but the paramedics said that she suffered a blow to her head and was bleeding heavily. They found her in the kitchen."
In that moment Jed made a decision. "From now on she is going to get protection. And the kids, also."
Leo spoke up for the first time since Jed had arrived. "Secret Service?"
Jed nodded, but said nothing. He couldn't even understand how something like this could happen. Abbey wasn't the type who just let anyone into her house.
"I'm not sure she would want that." Leo knew saying that wouldn't stop Jed from ordering protection for Abbey.
"Well, she's just going to have to live with it." The moment it flew out of his mouth, he regretted saying it.
Seeing Jed's face go white, Jenny let go of Leo and went to Jed. She put her arms around him in a gesture of comfort. "She'll be OK, Jed. She'll be fine."
Jed, in almost a maniacal way, embraced Jenny in return. He was grateful for the support. "Yeah." He let go of Jenny but not before giving her a brief smile in thanks.
Leo embraced Jed quickly, but didn't say anything. He didn't feel like he belonged there. He was partly, if not entirely, responsible for Abbey being in the hospital in the first place. He joined Jenny and Jed when they sat, but he didn't participate in much of the conversation.
"Ron Butterfield is on his way over here. He wants to talk to the two of you. Seeing as how Abbey and I are together, he is concerned that Abbey being attacked could be some sort of way to get to me. Even though we haven't gone public yet, we haven't been exactly discrete." Jed looked from Leo to Jenny. "It's imperative that we find out what the motive was for this."
Jenny remained calm. "I'm sure you'll get answers soon."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another twenty minutes passed before the doctor finally approached them. They all stood. "Mr. and Mrs. McGarry." The man nodded to them in acknowledgment. "Mr. President."
Jed accepted his hand while Jenny and Leo greeted him. "Do you have any news on Abbey?"
"Yes. We did a Head CT and determined that there is no skull fracture, but she has a moderate concussion. Her vitals are strong and she is breathing on her own, but she won't be completely out of the woods until she wakes up and that might not be for a few hours."
Jed nodded, not feeling much better. "Can we see her?"
"Of course. It might help if you talk to her."
"Thank you." Jed took the doctor's hand in one of his again. And after him Leo and Jenny did the same.
Jenny saw how awful Leo felt. "Jed, why don't you go in first? We'll be right behind you." She took Leo's hand again and gave it a squeeze.
Jed didn't ponder much on why she insisted he go to see Abbey first and he didn't object. He followed the doctor to show him the way. Soon he reached a small room and he wasted no time in opening the door to go inside. He forced his feet to move him to the bed. Abbey had a large bandage on her head and she looked very pale, but she wasn't hooked to any monitors which was a good sign. He reached out to touch her cheek. "Guess who?"
Jed took a seat next to Abbey's bed and waited. After he had sat there for an eternity, which his watch told him was actually fifteen minutes, he heard the door open and Jenny came quietly into the room.
She stood beside the bed, gently touching Abbey's hand. "Abbey, it's Jenny. Leo and I are here. The girls are fine. Josh picked them up and took them over to Donna's and now they are helping them with their homework." Her eyes then moved to Jed in the chair.
Jed looked back to the door. Was Leo talking to the doctor? Was he being told something about Abbey's condition? After all, Leo was listed as Abbey's next of kin and there might be something the doctor would want to see him about. Jed's eyes flew back to Jenny. "Where's Leo?"
Jenny made her way across the room. "He's in the waiting room."
"Why?" It was the first thing that popped into the President's head. "Is there some problem at The White House?"
Jenny shook her head slowly. "He's a little apprehensive, Jed." That was certainly an understatement. She had done her best to comfort him, but she couldn't give him what he really needed. Jenny looked at the man in front of her, the man who had all the power.
Jed frowned. He was scared for Abbey, too, but he couldn't imagine staying away. "Is he on his way?"
"I think he needs a few minutes, Jed. He needs time to process all he's feeling," Jenny answered.
Jed felt more then a little uneasy. Jenny wasn't telling him something. He thought back over Leo's behaviour in the last week. "Is he okay? Should I go to him?"
He saw Jenny tense. It was clear a debate was going on in her head. She finally whispered. "Yes."
"You'll..." Jed gestured to Abbey.
"I'll be right here with her," Jenny promised, taking the seat vacated by Jed
Jed walked quickly to the waiting room. As he approached, he could see Leo sitting on the couch with his arms folded tightly across his chest. Leo didn't seem to notice him. Jed took a seat across from him. "Leo?"
Leo's eyes jerked to the President.
Jed sensed the adrenaline pump through Leo's body like he was thinking of fleeing. "Are you coming to see Abbey? She's not awake, but she could know that we're there."
Leo struggled with the words. "I can't."
"Leo." Jed leaned forward. "I know it's scary to see someone we love hurt." He watched Leo nervously fiddle with the small bandage that still covered part of his hand. "Is this about your accident? Is it bringing back bad memories?"
The adrenaline rush became too much for Leo. He lurched to his feet and tried to control his voice. "It's MY fault Abbey's here."
"Did you hit her?" Jed knew he was asking a ridiculous question.
Leo looked horrified. "NO, I DIDN'T HIT HER!"
"Short of that I don't know how this could be your fault," Jed said, standing also. "Does this have something to do with the way you've been acting?"
Leo knew it had to come out now and he began to speak. "I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to keep Abbey safe." Leo stood rigidly. "He said that if I told he would hurt her. I stayed quiet and he knew that, but he hurt her anyway. Why would he do that?"
"You know who hurt Abbey?" Jed's face contorted in anger. "Tell me and I'll end their miserable life."
Leo waited as long as he could, watched the President's anger escalate, before he whispered. "Lane."
Jed froze. Did Leo know what he was saying? Lane was dead. Leo and Abbey had told him the story of how it happened. Was Leo having a breakdown? "Leo, why don't we sit down? I would really feel better if someone checked you over."
Leo shook his head. "Don't you see? Lane is alive! He didn't die in the struggle with Abbey and he's returned to destroy all our lives. I've known he was back and I kept quiet. I did it to protect Abbey. I'm sorry; please don't hate me."
Jed could not believe what he was hearing. He needed answers. "How could Lane be alive? You're not making any sense. He was stabbed and the police and paramedics came. They pronounced him dead and there was a funeral. I know there was, Leo. I was right there beside you."
"My brother was badly injured, but he recovered. Lane was a powerful senator. He used his influence and his money to persuade the right people to help him fake his death. And now he's back to make us pay." Leo looked pitiful.
"LANE IS ALIVE AND YOU HELPED HIM!" Jed bellowed so loudly that more than one Secret Service agent took a step forward.
"I....." Leo knew no words to explain him self.
Jed couldn't control himself. The rage empowered him. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ABBEY? I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU. I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY BROTHER."
"I am your brother..." Leo squeaked.
"Get out of my sight, Leo!" Jed turned and headed back to Abbey's room.
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Jenny walked down the corridor toward the waiting room. She was afraid of what she would find. When Jed had returned to Abbey's room, she had seen a barely controlled fury that scared her. He had tersely told her that he would sit with Abbey. Not knowing anything else to say, Jenny had left the room without a word.
As she approached, she could see Leo leaning against the arm of the couch, facing the window. Stepping to his side, Jenny could see the tears streaming down his face. He wasn't making a sound, but he didn't have to, his pain was obvious. Leo reached up and scrubbed across his eyes with a fist, trying without success to get himself under control. . "Baby." Jenny reached out and rubbed his back.
Any gesture of comfort simply made it worse for Leo. He didn't deserve comfort. He had betrayed them all.
Jenny moved closer, standing between Leo's legs. She enveloped him in her arms, pressing his head onto her shoulder. "Sshhh, this is all going to work out, honey." Then she just stood there and let Leo cry, releasing all his pent up frustration, pain and guilt.
When she finally didn't feel him shaking anymore, she drew back and looked in his face. Jenny pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped at the remaining tears. "Leo, what did Jed say?"
Leo tried to look away from her.
She took his face between her hands. "Honey, we have to talk about this. We have to make some decisions. Lane is still out there and he's dangerous."
"He told me to get out of his sight," Leo managed. "I'm not his brother..."
Like a spark that triggered an explosion, Jenny was angry. Yes, Leo had done an incredibly stupid thing. Yes, he had put them in danger. Yes, he was partly responsible for Abbey's injury. Yes, he had betrayed their trust. But HE was not the enemy. The truth about family was that they stuck together; that they could be angry, but that they could forgive. They had been family for as long as Jenny could remember. Jed and Leo had been more than friends, more than brothers, connected in a way that defied explanation. How could Jed just forget that? Jenny looked deep into Leo's eyes. "Baby, will you be okay for a few minutes without me?"
His expression showing a bridge of a million miles between there and being okay, Leo nodded.
Jenny kissed him on the forehead. "You sit right here. Promise me."
Not trusting him self to do anything except what Jenny said. Leo simply nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jenny blazed back down the hall. Jed was going to listen. She stepped hurriedly into the room.
Upon hearing her enter, Jed looked around and rose from his chair. "Did you know?"
"No," Jenny answered. "I found out today."
"Did he leave? I want him out of here! He's teamed up with a monster against us." The President was giving orders.
"Teamed up?" Jenny spit.
Jed stopped at the unmistakable sound of her anger directed at him. He looked to the bed at Abbey and winced. What were they doing? He had just said that Abbey might be able to hear them. Seeing that Jenny was having the same thought, the President pointed to the door and followed her out.
In the hall, Jenny spun to face the President. "Don't you stand there and say that my husband teamed up with that monster. I won't stand for it! Do you hear me, Jed? Leo no more teamed up with Lane than you did. He was put in an impossible situation and he made what he thought was his only choice."
Jed almost blew a gasket. "HE DIDN'T TELL US THAT LANE WAS ALIVE. HE LIED TO US. HE HELPED HIS BROTHER. WHAT ELSE HAS HE DONE THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT?"
"Don't you yell at me!" Jenny stood her ground with him. "Leo may take all your moods and acquiesce to you no matter how you act, but I DON'T!"
Jed's voice lowered, but not by much. "I'm going to ask the Secret Service to detain and question him. We need to find out Lane's next move." He turned to the agent at the door.
"You have the Secret Service detain Leo and this will be the last time I ever speak to you, Jed Bartlet." Jenny was throwing daggers with her eyes.
He turned back without speaking to the agent. "He didn't tell us there was a threat to Abbey and now she's lying in unconscious. She could still be in danger. I have to find out what else he's not telling us."
Jenny explained things to him. Then YOU sit him down and ask him. He'll tell you everything, Jed. Lane said he would kill you and Abbey if Leo revealed that he was alive, but the secret's out. Lane doesn't have a hold over Leo anymore. He will help us."
"How do I know I can trust him?" Jed asked.
"He's your brother," Jenny answered.
Jed paused to think. "All he had to do was come to me. I could have protected us all." He made it sound so simple.
"It was Abbey's life. He thought staying quiet ensured both of your safety. He wasn't willing to take a chance with you or Abbey under ANY circumstance." Jenny made herself clear.
"Lane is his brother. How could he be so afraid of what Lane was capable of that it would blind him to every other option?" Jed asked.
"I want to share this with you, Jed. I didn't think I'd ever speak of this again after the night Leo told me, but I really feel you need to know," Jenny said.
Jed looked up. His anger could not mask his concern for Leo. "What?"
Jenny still hesitated as tears came to her eyes.
"Hey..." Jed moved closer and put his arm around her. "We're all family here. You can tell me anything."
"Family......, people who love you, people you should be safe with. Lane is Leo's family, Jed. Lane is Leo's brother and he was anything but safe with him." Jenny shuddered as she thought back over some of the stuff she had heard. "Lane would get crazy. The littlest thing would set him off. He'd lock Leo in a dark closet and leave him alone in there for hours. Meanwhile Leo would have to listen to the crying of his sisters who were scared to death of what Lane would do next. Or there would be a thunderstorm and he'd force Leo to stand out in it and since Leo would never relent to doing what Lane wanted, so he would get soaked and shiver for hours."
"And their mother was gone sixteen hours a day, working three jobs just to keep the apartment, and Leo never said a word about what was going on. He didn't want to worry her." Jed surmised.
"He used to threaten him, Jed. Stay quiet or else I'll hurt Josie and Liz or even their mother. Lane always played on Leo's need to protect the people he loves," Jenny said.
"And Leo stayed quiet because the people he loves are always first in his mind," Jed finished. "He stayed quiet then and he stayed quiet now, willing to go through anything to protect."
Jenny nodded. "Looking back he knows it was the wrong choice, Jed. He has so much guilt that it's going to overwhelm him. Can you give him some compassion? After all Jed, you would do the same. You would do anything to protect the one's you love."
Jed nodded sombrely. Jenny was right. He wasn't that much different from Leo. "He's going to have to face Abbey on his own," He said. "I'll be there when he tells her but for Abbey and not for Leo."
Jenny sighed. "I know she'll have a lot of tough questions for him."
"Finding out that degenerate is back is going to tear Abbey apart!" The Jed banged his fist against the wall. "And I don't think Leo is prepared to deal with it either."
Jenny echoed his sentiment. "I'm really worried about how both of them are going to cope. It took a long time for them to heal after all that happened. Being able to share memories and feelings is the only thing that got them through it. I think Leo told Abbey more about the past with Lane than he even told me. They need to be there for each other now more than ever."
"Leo is the one closing down on us." Jed spoke like it was a question, looking for answers from Jenny on how to deal with Leo.
"Jed, you're furious with Lane. Don't punish Leo because you can. He panicked and in that desperation he made some bad choices. Be angry with him, work it out and move on, but don't shut him out. He deserves better than that." Jenny searched Jed's eyes for understanding.
Jed blew out a breath and nodded before hugging Jenny. Where there more things Lane had done to Abbey that he didn't know about? To Leo? And what was he planning now?
TBC....