Mistakes -- Part 7-A
Characters: Jed/Abbey/Leo
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to play with them a little! Thank you to Aaron Sorkin, Warner Bros, and NBC!
Feedback is always welcomed!
Summary: It's time to officially find out the sex of the baby! The news brings Jed and Abbey closer, but an unexpected visitor drives another wedge between them and Abbey's finally had enough.
Month six:
Things had been tense in the Residence ever since the conversation about divorce had been resurrected, especially now that Jed had dropped the "c" word -- custody. He knew she was serious. She would give him one hell of a fight for that child. She loved Jed with all her heart, but no one would get between Abbey and her children. He knew that all along and truth be told, he didn't have any intention of taking the baby away from Abbey. He wouldn't hurt her like that, no matter what. He didn't even know why he said it. Perhaps it was to remind himself how angry he still was. He needed the reminder because he felt himself melting under her spell just like he did when they first met.
Jed went back to working late and Abbey went back to pretending to be asleep when he finally came home. Not talking seemed like the most obvious solution. Every discussion brought more pain, for both of them.
But on this cool September morning, they had to talk. They were going to find out the sex of their baby -- together. The excitement of the day was drowned out by the tension between the First Couple, until the news came.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Dr. Johnson asked.
"Yes, of course we do. We've been dying to know for months."
"She's been dying to know. I've known all along. It's a boy," Jed said.
"You sure you don't want to amend that just a bit?" the doctor said.
"Should he?" Abbey jumped in.
The doctor nodded.
"Tell your girls to get ready for a baby sister."
Abbey looked at Jed, expecting disappointment. She was surprised at what she saw instead.
Jed bolted out of his chair, "it's a girl?" he asked, just to be sure. When the doctor nodded, he ran over to Abbey's chair, kneeling in front of her and rubbing her stomach, "Four girls. We have another daughter!"
"I'm sorry. I know you wanted..." she started.
"I wanted whatever we got. Abbey, I thought I knew it was a boy, but now, I can't imagine my life without another little girl in it," he told her with tears in his eyes. "As long as she has ten fingers and ten toes, I'm the happiest man in the world."
His genuine excitement made her cry. This was the man she had fallen in love with. She hadn't recognized him in so long, but this is who really was. With all the anger and the hurt shielded behind the joy he felt on this day, she knew that despite her doubts, there was hope for them.
That night, the First Couple continued their celebration as they contemplated welcoming their healthy baby girl into their lives. Abbey sat at the dining room table, reading over a book of baby names.
"Tiffany?"
"Look me in the eye and tell me I look like a man who would name his kid Tiffany."
"It's a perfectly lovely name."
"Yes, yes, it is. Not for my daughter."
"Paige...that's such beautiful name."
"She'll grow up to be one of those soap opera characters," he replied. "I want something different, something classic, something beautiful."
"Like what?"
He paused for a moment, went over to her, bent down, and pulled her reading glasses off her face. "Like Abigail," he said with a warm smile.
She returned his smile, "I don't think so."
He got up and walked across the room. "You know I've got to go to this fundraiser tomorrow," he reminded her.
"I know."
Jed hated these things. He knew they were necessary, but travelling around the country, making appearances to benefit other democrats, while charging people a thousand dollars a plate and another two thousand for a picture with the President seemed -- wrong. Necessary, but wrong.
This trip was for Congressman Jack Stinger, a representative running for reelection in a conservative district in Indiana. A highlight for Jed was getting to see an old classmate -- Jamie Sheldon. Jamie and Jed were friends throughout high school and both had graduated from Notre Dame with their undergraduate degrees. They hadn't seen each other since he moved on to the London School of Economics, but they kept in touch sporadically.
Earlier that day, Jed talked to Josh about checking on Abbey periodically throughout the day when he was gone. Her staff at her office was given instructions to call Josh should something go wrong, but Josh's interference gave Jed extra comfort. Jed's mind was at ease this time, trusting that neither Abbey nor Leo would contact one another. But that isn't exactly how it worked out.
Abbey was in the kitchen, making herself a snack while she waited for Jed to to finish his shower. When she turned around to leave, she was surprised that Leo was standing in front her. Startled, Abbey walked around him and set her plate on the table.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to drop off these papers for the President. He needs to look them over on the plane."
"Surely you could have given them to CJ. She's going with him to Indiana," Abbey said.
"CJ already left for the day."
Leo put the papers on the table and turned to walk away. "Take care of yourself."
"Leo?"
Her voice stopped him. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about all this."
She felt she had to apologize because this wasn't all Leo's fault. She reached out to him too. She wanted to be with him those two nights. He lost the respect of his employees, his colleagues, and the admiration of his best friend in the process.
"You didn't do this, Abbey."
"I played a large part in it. God, Leo, he asked me. That first night, he asked me what I was thinking and you know, I couldn't answer him. I still haven't told him why, like there would ever be a good enough reason to cheat on him."
"Abbey, I don't think I'm the best person to be discussing this with you."
"Of course," she said, reality smacking her in the face. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing. You have no reason to apologize to me..."
He approached her, putting his finger under her chin to raise her head and look into her eyes.
"...ever," he finished.
Jed walked in just as Leo raised Abbey's head up. He looked at them for only a minute before he exploded, rushing over to Leo, yelling at him to get out of the Residence. Abbey stepped in between the two, trying to stop Jed.
"I invited him!" she blurted out to a shocked Jed.
"That isn't true," Leo insisted. "Abbey, knock it off."
Abbey looked at Leo, trying to get him to let her take the blame. No matter how angry Jed was, he at least watched his temper with Abbey, a cushion Leo didn't have any longer.
"Jed..." Abbey started.
"Stop it, both of you! Leo, I want you to leave right now."
Leo turned to Abbey. The two exchanged glances before he turned to walk out. Once the door closed, Jed grabbed Abbey's arm, turning her to face him.
"Jed."
"You lied to me! Once again, you lied!"
"I was scared of your temper and what you'd do to him."
"So you were just protecting your boyfriend?"
"I'm finished," she said with disgust in her voice as she crossed the room.
"Finished?"
"That's right, finished! I'm done apologizing for what I did. You've been punishing me for months and you know what, Jackass, it's time you just get the hell over it!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to take them back. He should get over it? How would a man like Jed Bartlet get over the fact that his wife betrayed every vow she had taken on their wedding day? Just the mere suggestion was like another knife in his back.
Jed left the room, picked up his luggage and left. He wasn't leaving for Indiana until early the next morning. Tonight, he was sleeping in a guest bedroom.
TBC
Characters: Jed/Abbey/Leo
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to play with them a little! Thank you to Aaron Sorkin, Warner Bros, and NBC!
Feedback is always welcomed!
Summary: It's time to officially find out the sex of the baby! The news brings Jed and Abbey closer, but an unexpected visitor drives another wedge between them and Abbey's finally had enough.
Month six:
Things had been tense in the Residence ever since the conversation about divorce had been resurrected, especially now that Jed had dropped the "c" word -- custody. He knew she was serious. She would give him one hell of a fight for that child. She loved Jed with all her heart, but no one would get between Abbey and her children. He knew that all along and truth be told, he didn't have any intention of taking the baby away from Abbey. He wouldn't hurt her like that, no matter what. He didn't even know why he said it. Perhaps it was to remind himself how angry he still was. He needed the reminder because he felt himself melting under her spell just like he did when they first met.
Jed went back to working late and Abbey went back to pretending to be asleep when he finally came home. Not talking seemed like the most obvious solution. Every discussion brought more pain, for both of them.
But on this cool September morning, they had to talk. They were going to find out the sex of their baby -- together. The excitement of the day was drowned out by the tension between the First Couple, until the news came.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Dr. Johnson asked.
"Yes, of course we do. We've been dying to know for months."
"She's been dying to know. I've known all along. It's a boy," Jed said.
"You sure you don't want to amend that just a bit?" the doctor said.
"Should he?" Abbey jumped in.
The doctor nodded.
"Tell your girls to get ready for a baby sister."
Abbey looked at Jed, expecting disappointment. She was surprised at what she saw instead.
Jed bolted out of his chair, "it's a girl?" he asked, just to be sure. When the doctor nodded, he ran over to Abbey's chair, kneeling in front of her and rubbing her stomach, "Four girls. We have another daughter!"
"I'm sorry. I know you wanted..." she started.
"I wanted whatever we got. Abbey, I thought I knew it was a boy, but now, I can't imagine my life without another little girl in it," he told her with tears in his eyes. "As long as she has ten fingers and ten toes, I'm the happiest man in the world."
His genuine excitement made her cry. This was the man she had fallen in love with. She hadn't recognized him in so long, but this is who really was. With all the anger and the hurt shielded behind the joy he felt on this day, she knew that despite her doubts, there was hope for them.
That night, the First Couple continued their celebration as they contemplated welcoming their healthy baby girl into their lives. Abbey sat at the dining room table, reading over a book of baby names.
"Tiffany?"
"Look me in the eye and tell me I look like a man who would name his kid Tiffany."
"It's a perfectly lovely name."
"Yes, yes, it is. Not for my daughter."
"Paige...that's such beautiful name."
"She'll grow up to be one of those soap opera characters," he replied. "I want something different, something classic, something beautiful."
"Like what?"
He paused for a moment, went over to her, bent down, and pulled her reading glasses off her face. "Like Abigail," he said with a warm smile.
She returned his smile, "I don't think so."
He got up and walked across the room. "You know I've got to go to this fundraiser tomorrow," he reminded her.
"I know."
Jed hated these things. He knew they were necessary, but travelling around the country, making appearances to benefit other democrats, while charging people a thousand dollars a plate and another two thousand for a picture with the President seemed -- wrong. Necessary, but wrong.
This trip was for Congressman Jack Stinger, a representative running for reelection in a conservative district in Indiana. A highlight for Jed was getting to see an old classmate -- Jamie Sheldon. Jamie and Jed were friends throughout high school and both had graduated from Notre Dame with their undergraduate degrees. They hadn't seen each other since he moved on to the London School of Economics, but they kept in touch sporadically.
Earlier that day, Jed talked to Josh about checking on Abbey periodically throughout the day when he was gone. Her staff at her office was given instructions to call Josh should something go wrong, but Josh's interference gave Jed extra comfort. Jed's mind was at ease this time, trusting that neither Abbey nor Leo would contact one another. But that isn't exactly how it worked out.
Abbey was in the kitchen, making herself a snack while she waited for Jed to to finish his shower. When she turned around to leave, she was surprised that Leo was standing in front her. Startled, Abbey walked around him and set her plate on the table.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to drop off these papers for the President. He needs to look them over on the plane."
"Surely you could have given them to CJ. She's going with him to Indiana," Abbey said.
"CJ already left for the day."
Leo put the papers on the table and turned to walk away. "Take care of yourself."
"Leo?"
Her voice stopped him. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about all this."
She felt she had to apologize because this wasn't all Leo's fault. She reached out to him too. She wanted to be with him those two nights. He lost the respect of his employees, his colleagues, and the admiration of his best friend in the process.
"You didn't do this, Abbey."
"I played a large part in it. God, Leo, he asked me. That first night, he asked me what I was thinking and you know, I couldn't answer him. I still haven't told him why, like there would ever be a good enough reason to cheat on him."
"Abbey, I don't think I'm the best person to be discussing this with you."
"Of course," she said, reality smacking her in the face. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing. You have no reason to apologize to me..."
He approached her, putting his finger under her chin to raise her head and look into her eyes.
"...ever," he finished.
Jed walked in just as Leo raised Abbey's head up. He looked at them for only a minute before he exploded, rushing over to Leo, yelling at him to get out of the Residence. Abbey stepped in between the two, trying to stop Jed.
"I invited him!" she blurted out to a shocked Jed.
"That isn't true," Leo insisted. "Abbey, knock it off."
Abbey looked at Leo, trying to get him to let her take the blame. No matter how angry Jed was, he at least watched his temper with Abbey, a cushion Leo didn't have any longer.
"Jed..." Abbey started.
"Stop it, both of you! Leo, I want you to leave right now."
Leo turned to Abbey. The two exchanged glances before he turned to walk out. Once the door closed, Jed grabbed Abbey's arm, turning her to face him.
"Jed."
"You lied to me! Once again, you lied!"
"I was scared of your temper and what you'd do to him."
"So you were just protecting your boyfriend?"
"I'm finished," she said with disgust in her voice as she crossed the room.
"Finished?"
"That's right, finished! I'm done apologizing for what I did. You've been punishing me for months and you know what, Jackass, it's time you just get the hell over it!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to take them back. He should get over it? How would a man like Jed Bartlet get over the fact that his wife betrayed every vow she had taken on their wedding day? Just the mere suggestion was like another knife in his back.
Jed left the room, picked up his luggage and left. He wasn't leaving for Indiana until early the next morning. Tonight, he was sleeping in a guest bedroom.
TBC