The Heart Brings You Back
This story is a what if scenario on my take on what would have happened if Zoey had been killed by her abductors. It's a year later and the story of what happened to the First Couple is told through a series of flashbacks.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are ours. Just borrowing them for some fun!
Rating: Probably PG-13, but just a warning: there's quite a bit of turmoil and some violence.
Characters: Jed, Abbey, and some others along the way
Chapter 1
Summary: Abbey remembers the hell they went through when Zoey was kidnapped
Abbey walked out of the kitchen, holding a mug of hot coffee. She sat at the table and turned on the television, anxious to watch her estranged husband's speech. It had been a year since Jed and Abbey officially separated. It was the first year in his Presidency that she wasn't with him during The State of the Union.
When she saw Jed, she couldn't help but still feel some anger -- anger about what he did, what his actions cost them, most importantly, what could have been if only she had found a way to forgive him.
But it had happened and so they went their separate ways. She moved out of the White House and back to Manchester, where she rented a high-class apartment.
Watching the State of the Union, she saw something she didn't expect. He didn't look very well. His eyes were red, he had dark circles, he looked tired -- very tired. She spent the entire speech concentrating on him. What was wrong? Was he sick? Her concern took over. Later that night, she called the one person she kept in touch with since leaving the White House -- CJ. CJ told her about the stress the President had been under, dealing with terror threats Abbey read about in the paper everyday, trying to recover from falling approval ratings thanks to his separation, appearing as though he could handle being the most powerful man in the world, all the while watching his personal life continue to crumble, and most importantly, still reeling from the death of his youngest daughter.
It had only been a year and those emotions were still raw for both of them. You never quite get over burying your child. It's a loss only a parent could understand. All the regrets, all the "what ifs" playing in your head. And the guilt. It's a parent's job to protect a child and in her time of need. Zoey couldn't count on her parents, for her parents didn't even know where she was when she needed them the most.
CJ begged Abbey to come to the White House.
"I think you need to see him," she pleaded.
"No, I really don't think that's the best idea," Abbey told her.
"Abbey, he won't talk to his doctor. He won't talk to us. We don't know what to think. It started as a cold, but..."
Abbey tuned out CJ's voice. She remembered the night she left the White House. She told Jed that she'd never be back, no matter what. But could she stay away now? When he was sick, it was always Abbey who helped him. He didn't fully trust anyone else, not even the White House doctors.
Despite her anger, she still loved him with all her heart. You don't get over 35 years of marriage that easily, no matter what a spouse may do. She did still love him, but this time, he put their daughter in danger and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep from blaming him. But now, he needed her. Even if he hadn't admitted it to anyone, he needed her and she needed to make sure he was okay. She told CJ she'd be in Washington the next day and headed to her bedroom to pack.
The following day, as promised, Abbey caught the earliest flight. After she arrived at the airport, a car picked her up to take her to the White House. It was the longest drive of her life and on the way, her mind wandered. It drifted back to the day she and Jed were told their little girl was missing. They were entertaining guests in the residence. She remembered the sound she heard when Jed dropped the pictures he was holding, pictures of Zoey as a child. She remembered the look of horror on his face. She remembered him holding her up as he told her Zoey had been taken.
She thought about the events of the following days. It was too much to handle. Abbey had to be sedated several times. Jed resigned as President, invoking the 25th Amendment. And they waited, and they waited, and they waited. They waited for days for a phone call that never came. No one asked for ransom. No one asked for anything. So why, she had wondered, would they kidnap the President's daughter? If not to barter, what was the point?
Abbey began thinking about the day she heard the news about the assassination of Qumari Defense Minister Abdul Shareef. Why hadn't Jed told her himself? Why had he waited for her to hear about it on the news?
Flashback
As the news report aired, it all finally made sense to her. Could that be why Zoey was taken? Out of revenge, retalliation? Could it simply be old Karma at work? Her husband took a life and now her daughter would pay the ultimate price? She walked into the kitchen and began nervously making sandwiches with Ellie when Jed walked in.
He wanted to talk about it. All she wanted was reassurance that the news reports were wrong.
"It isn't true, is it?" she asked, unable to look at him.
"I'm sorry you had to hear about it on television."
What? He's sorry she had to hear about it on TV? Sure, she was pissed that he didn't tell her. But she was more angry that he had done such a thing in the first place. He had actually ordered the cold-blooded killing of another human being. Terrorist or not, he took a life and he never once even told her about it. He layed in bed next to her for a whole year and never felt the need to clear his conscious.
"Why should today be any different," she replied coldly as she left the kitchen.
Abbey's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her driver.
"Ma'am, we're here."
This was it, the moment of truth. She hadn't seen Jed, nor had she talked to him in a year. How would he react to seeing her? Was he still as angry with her as she was with him? The two had exchanged bitter words during their last meeting. She'd be crazy to think that all was forgiven. Would he welcome her with open arms, or throw her out of the building? She was about to find out.
TBC
This story is a what if scenario on my take on what would have happened if Zoey had been killed by her abductors. It's a year later and the story of what happened to the First Couple is told through a series of flashbacks.
Disclaimer: None of the characters are ours. Just borrowing them for some fun!
Rating: Probably PG-13, but just a warning: there's quite a bit of turmoil and some violence.
Characters: Jed, Abbey, and some others along the way
Chapter 1
Summary: Abbey remembers the hell they went through when Zoey was kidnapped
Abbey walked out of the kitchen, holding a mug of hot coffee. She sat at the table and turned on the television, anxious to watch her estranged husband's speech. It had been a year since Jed and Abbey officially separated. It was the first year in his Presidency that she wasn't with him during The State of the Union.
When she saw Jed, she couldn't help but still feel some anger -- anger about what he did, what his actions cost them, most importantly, what could have been if only she had found a way to forgive him.
But it had happened and so they went their separate ways. She moved out of the White House and back to Manchester, where she rented a high-class apartment.
Watching the State of the Union, she saw something she didn't expect. He didn't look very well. His eyes were red, he had dark circles, he looked tired -- very tired. She spent the entire speech concentrating on him. What was wrong? Was he sick? Her concern took over. Later that night, she called the one person she kept in touch with since leaving the White House -- CJ. CJ told her about the stress the President had been under, dealing with terror threats Abbey read about in the paper everyday, trying to recover from falling approval ratings thanks to his separation, appearing as though he could handle being the most powerful man in the world, all the while watching his personal life continue to crumble, and most importantly, still reeling from the death of his youngest daughter.
It had only been a year and those emotions were still raw for both of them. You never quite get over burying your child. It's a loss only a parent could understand. All the regrets, all the "what ifs" playing in your head. And the guilt. It's a parent's job to protect a child and in her time of need. Zoey couldn't count on her parents, for her parents didn't even know where she was when she needed them the most.
CJ begged Abbey to come to the White House.
"I think you need to see him," she pleaded.
"No, I really don't think that's the best idea," Abbey told her.
"Abbey, he won't talk to his doctor. He won't talk to us. We don't know what to think. It started as a cold, but..."
Abbey tuned out CJ's voice. She remembered the night she left the White House. She told Jed that she'd never be back, no matter what. But could she stay away now? When he was sick, it was always Abbey who helped him. He didn't fully trust anyone else, not even the White House doctors.
Despite her anger, she still loved him with all her heart. You don't get over 35 years of marriage that easily, no matter what a spouse may do. She did still love him, but this time, he put their daughter in danger and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep from blaming him. But now, he needed her. Even if he hadn't admitted it to anyone, he needed her and she needed to make sure he was okay. She told CJ she'd be in Washington the next day and headed to her bedroom to pack.
The following day, as promised, Abbey caught the earliest flight. After she arrived at the airport, a car picked her up to take her to the White House. It was the longest drive of her life and on the way, her mind wandered. It drifted back to the day she and Jed were told their little girl was missing. They were entertaining guests in the residence. She remembered the sound she heard when Jed dropped the pictures he was holding, pictures of Zoey as a child. She remembered the look of horror on his face. She remembered him holding her up as he told her Zoey had been taken.
She thought about the events of the following days. It was too much to handle. Abbey had to be sedated several times. Jed resigned as President, invoking the 25th Amendment. And they waited, and they waited, and they waited. They waited for days for a phone call that never came. No one asked for ransom. No one asked for anything. So why, she had wondered, would they kidnap the President's daughter? If not to barter, what was the point?
Abbey began thinking about the day she heard the news about the assassination of Qumari Defense Minister Abdul Shareef. Why hadn't Jed told her himself? Why had he waited for her to hear about it on the news?
Flashback
As the news report aired, it all finally made sense to her. Could that be why Zoey was taken? Out of revenge, retalliation? Could it simply be old Karma at work? Her husband took a life and now her daughter would pay the ultimate price? She walked into the kitchen and began nervously making sandwiches with Ellie when Jed walked in.
He wanted to talk about it. All she wanted was reassurance that the news reports were wrong.
"It isn't true, is it?" she asked, unable to look at him.
"I'm sorry you had to hear about it on television."
What? He's sorry she had to hear about it on TV? Sure, she was pissed that he didn't tell her. But she was more angry that he had done such a thing in the first place. He had actually ordered the cold-blooded killing of another human being. Terrorist or not, he took a life and he never once even told her about it. He layed in bed next to her for a whole year and never felt the need to clear his conscious.
"Why should today be any different," she replied coldly as she left the kitchen.
Abbey's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her driver.
"Ma'am, we're here."
This was it, the moment of truth. She hadn't seen Jed, nor had she talked to him in a year. How would he react to seeing her? Was he still as angry with her as she was with him? The two had exchanged bitter words during their last meeting. She'd be crazy to think that all was forgiven. Would he welcome her with open arms, or throw her out of the building? She was about to find out.
TBC