Part 7

"Jed, you know it isn't that simple." It had taken Leo a few moments to compose himself before speaking again.

Jed rose quickly from the bench. "Of course it is. I killed my wife so that makes me a murderer." He saw Ron coming back inside. "What now?" He almost yelled. "Can't I mourn in peace?"

"Sir, maybe we should get whatever you have in your neck out." Ron said as an answer.

"Do you think I even care about that now?" This time he screamed the words out. "My wife is dead!"

Leo glanced at Ron but nothing. "Sir," He looked back at Jed. "..we need to find out what it is inside you so we can determine what happened."

"What happened?" He took one step closer to Leo. "I'll tell you what happened. I KILLED MY WIFE!"

Ron saw what was about to happen and signalled someone outside the chapel.

"Sir..." Leo tried to calm Jed.

"Don't you Sir me, God Damn it Leo what the hell is wrong with you? Your best friend lost his wife and all you can say is Sir this and Sir that!" He shoved Leo aside as he took a couple of steps aside. "God, I've lost her and I deserve to be punished for that. I've taken away a mother from her children..." He stared up at the huge cross in the chapel. "Liz..... Ellie.... Zoey.... They will never forgive me and they shouldn't." He banged a fist down at the small table under the cross.

Leo watched as a Doctor exchanges a few quick words with Ron and together they walked up to Jed. He knew what they were going to do and for now it was the best solution.

Jed felt cramped and turned around. "What are you doing?"

"Sir, it's for your own good." Ron said as he held him down.

Jed tried to break free but Ron was stronger then him. He felt a small sting in his neck and was about to fight eve more when Ron let go of him. Jed pushed Ron away from himself. "What did you do?" In seconds he felt dizzy as he heard Ron repeat himself with it being for his own good. "You.. bastard... You..." He started to fall but felt someone catch him. "Jed, get some rest." Was that Leo talking? Rest, no he couldn't rest. He.. did not want to rest. He did not want to rest... He wanted to die.

----

Leo waited as the Doctor cheeked Jed's pulse. He waited while a gurney was brought in and then proceeded to help to put Jed on it. Soon he followed as they took Jed to a private room. As they wheeled him inside Leo stopped him. "Are they going to take that 'thing' out?"

"Yes, shouldn't be to long."

Leo could tell Ron wanted to go somewhere but once again Leo stopped him. "Ron, is Abbey really dead?" For a few seconds no one said anything and when Ron was going to another agent walked up to him. Leo was beginning to get angry.

"Excuse me, I have to go."

Before Leo said anything Ron Butterfield and the other agent were on in. The door was closed and guarded by the Secret Service. If Abbey really was gone not even the Secret Service could keep Jed safe. Keep him safe from himself.

------

CJ paced franticly. "CAROL!"

Within seconds Carol appeared. "No, nothing yet."

CJ grumbled as she waved Carol of. As soon as Carol had gone the phone rang and CJ dove right on it. "YES!"

"CJ, for Christ's sake, keep it down."

CJ composed herself. "Sorry Leo, what's going on? People here have seen an ambulance leave and then seen you and The President leave. Not to mention that The President looked like he was about to......" She rambled on.

"Alright, I get it. I'm sorry but I don't have any answers for you just yet. I just called to say I'm at Bethesda and I might be here for a while. I'm sure you guys can handle things while I'm here."

"Yeah, ok." CJ sat down. Being kept out of the loop was nothing new but she still felt like she needed to know. Especially if it was serious. "Leo, is there anything I can do?"

"No, thanks. I'll call back a bit later."

"Alright." CJ hung up the receiver. She did not like this one bit but there was nothing she could do. What she could and had to do was continue to tell people she did not know what was going on and she really hated that.

Leo stared at the phone. Until he was sure, 100% positive, that Abbey was gone he could not tell anyone else. He tapped with his finger against the counter wondering where to go from here. He walked over to the room Jed had been in. Should not be long now before they brought him back. Ron was with them and except for the plan Ron might or might not have put in to action he trusted Ron. Right then he heard some people approached and he saw Ron, some agents and Jed on the gurney. He stepped aside as they wheeled Jed in to the room.

Leo looked at Ron, who probably thought he was going to ask him about Abbey again but that would not be the case now. "You got it?"

"Yes, we're going to take a loser look at it. We can't be sure that is what has caused The President's..." Ron paused but could not really think of an appropriate word. "..unusual behaviour."

Leo nodded. "How long will he be out?"

"Should be another hour. I think we should take him back to The White House."

Leo just stared at him. "He would not want to leave Abbey." Leo added a few words just for Ron. "Being dead or alive." Again, Ron did not budge. Leo could see how this man could irritate Jed.

"No matter what the circumstances I think it would be for the best. I've already arranged it."

Leo could see Ron had a very good point. "Alright." With that Ron left him. Leo would go back with Jed to The White House but a part of him wanted to stay and see if he could not find out something about Abbey. However, knowing Ron that would be quite impossible. He had no idea what to tell Jed when he awoke. What could one possibly say?

------

He felt ill. His head felt heavy as he opened his eyelids.

"Jed?"

Leo? He tried to focus on the person who was in front of him. Soon everything came into focus. Bedroom. He was home. "Dream." It had only been another dream.

Leo swallowed hard. He knew what he had to do. "No, Jed. It was no dream."

Jed's eyes were now fully open. "What?" Absorbing the sad features on Leo's face and replaying the words he had just spoken. He sat up with an effort. "It was a dream. Please tell me, it was a dream. Tell me that Abbey isn't dead."

Leo could barely look at him.

"I killed Abbey?" It was a whisper as he did not want to believe he could be capable of something like that. Not even to his worst enemy.

"YOU did not kill her. Someone used you." Leo tried knowing it would have no affect.

Jed threw the covers aside and almost jumped out of bed. As he stood he felt dizzy but ignored it. "Doesn't make any difference." He started pacing as the last days events caught up with his mind. "Oh God, I can't..." He started breathing heavily.

Leo moved to him right away. "Here, sit down." He guided Jed to a chair. "Take a deep breath and focus." When that did not help Leo could only think of one thing. "Focus on the girls." As soon as those words were out Leo realized it was the wrong thing to say.

Jed felt sick. "The girls. I have to call them and tell them..." He got up and hurried to the phone.

"No." Leo reached for the receiver from Jed and put it down. "Listen to me, when you tell the girls you will need to be strong for them and at the moment you are anything but strong."

Jed knew Leo was right and fell back on the bed. "I killed their mother."

The agony in Jed's voice was unmistakable to Leo. He did not have any wise words for Jed.

Jed sighed heavily. "Why didn't it succeed?"

"Why did what not succeed?"

"My suicide attempt."

Leo did not even have to think about the answer for many seconds. "Because Abbey would not let you."

"But I let her die. Even worse I am the reason she died." He felt the tears sting in his eyes. He would never understand what had made him kill the woman he loved most in the world. The woman he would have died for. "Maybe I should try again."

"NO!"

Jed looked up. "I said that out loud?"

Leo pulled up a chair and seated himself right in front of Jed. "Listen, you will not try to kill yourself again and I can give you the best three reasons in the world why you will not."

Jed knew what he was talking about but said nothing.

"Liz, Ellie and Zoey." Leo finished.

"I killed their mother." Jed repeated. The girls would hate him and they would have every right to do so.

"No, you were just a pawn. They managed to take out someone in your neck that the Secret Service are analysing it right now. Something that this Doctor Hannah most likely out in you so if anyone is to blame he is." Leo had no idea just what he had set in motion.

"He's responsible?"

"It is looking more and more like it, yes."

Jed thought for a moment. When it all came down to it he himself was the one that killed Abbey but he would never have done so if not someone had made him do it. That someone needed to pay. Jed stood up and walked over to the window while forming out a plan in his head. "Leo, I need your help."

Leo rose and was now standing behind Jed. "Anything." When Jed turned Leo could see there was something different about him. "What?"

"I need you to help me get away from the Secret Service."

Leo stared at him thinking he had gone mad. "I beg your pardon?"

"I need to have a meeting with this Doctor who did this to me." He sighed heavily. "Who did this to Abbey. I need answers."

"And we'll get them but not like that." Leo shouted at him.

Jed stood his ground. "I am going to do this with or without your help." Jed took a step closer to Leo. "If you tell anyone, anyone what I am going to do then our friendship is over. Do you understand? Over."

Leo couldn't say a word. He knew when not to argue with Jed and he knew when it came to Abbey nothing could ever stand in Jed's way. "I won't tell anyone." It was against his better judgement but at least this way he helped his best friend a little even if it was wrong.

Jed didn't say anything but simply watched as Leo started to leave. When the door closed behind him Jed walked over to the drawer and started searching. Soon he found what he was looking for. Abbey's trustworthy address book. When he saw the familiar handwriting he wavered a little. He traced her handwriting with his fingers. It made him more determined then ever. He started going through the pages and almost immediately found what he was looking for. The address of one Doctor Richard Hannah. He did not want to tear the page from Abbey's book so he looked for a pen and a piece of paper. When he found the items he scribbled down the address and then put it on the dresser. He needed to get dressed before anything and he needed to make sure he had cover all basics before even attempting to escape The Secret Service.

Leo did not have to walk far before he saw Ron. "Ron!"

"Sir." Ron waited as Leo came up to him. "How is The President?"

"I don't think I need to tell you do I?" When receiving no response from Ron Leo continued. "Ron, I need to know and need to know now, is Abbey alive?"

Jed pulled the t-shirt over his head and tucked it into his black pants. Next, he took a thick sweater of the t-shirt. All black, not his usual wear but it would do nicely for this particular night. As he passed the dresser he grabbed the note with the address on it and pocketed in his pants. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Leo."

Jed sighed relieved. "Come in." He finished up as Leo entered. "If you came here to stop me you can just..."

"No." Leo answered. "I'm here to help you."

TBC...