The Heart Brings You Back
Chapter 5
Summary: After remembering a distraught Abbey turning to medication, Leo becomes very concerned
"Meaning my fever is down, I'm feeling okay. How long are you planning to stay?"
"Jed."
"Abbey, I want to know. Are you going back to New Hampshire?"
"I don't know" she answered honestly.
"How long are you going to punish me?" he asked with a sigh.
"Just yesterday you said you didn't want me here."
"That's right, because I knew this is what you were going to do. You run away. You've always run away."
"Do you remember what happened the last time we had this conversation?" she asked.
"Yeah and I don't care. I don't need your pity."
"Pity?"
"You came here because you thought I was having a relapse."
"Jed, that isn't the only reason I'm here. I'm here because I care about what happens to you."
"Please," he uttered while rolling his eyes.
"I'm not going to talk to you about this now," she said, getting up to leave.
"No, of course you're not. We always work on your timetable anyway, don't we?"
Abbey stared at her husband for a few moments before she left the room, calmly shutting the door behind her.
Just outside the door, she ran into Leo.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Just checking up on the President."
"He's up, but he shouldn't be stressed out right now."
"I wasn't planning on stressing him out, just asking how he is." The two stared at each other for a minute before Leo continued. "Abbey, this may not be the right time to ask, but are you going to leave once he's better?"
"That's none of your business."
"I'm asking as a friend," he said, touching her arm.
Abbey pulled away from his grasp, "No, you're asking as my husband's top political advisor. If I leave, you'll have more damage control, more war room spin you'll have to come up with. Again, it's none of your business," she said while reaching in to her purse.
"He missed you, Abbey."
Abbey took out a bottle of pills. "Leo, I really think you're the last person who should be getting in the middle of this."
Abbey was still angry. He knew that. After Zoey's abduction, the two had a bitter exchange. It wasn't just Jed that Abbey blamed. She put part of the blame on Leo's shoulders as well. She was furious with both men and while she may now be back out of her love for Jed, she hadn't completely forgiven either one.
Leo stared at Abbey as she walked away, carrying the bottle. He knew exactly what it was she had in her hand. He was the only person who knew.
Flashback
Leo's thoughts brought him back to the day of Zoey's funeral. The service was over and Jed had retreated to his office. He claimed he had work to do, but everyone knew he couldn't concentrate on work. He was there because he wanted to be alone. The one person he wanted to talk to, to comfort -- Abbey -- didn't want him. Abbey stayed in their bedroom. She sent Liz and Ellie out, claiming to have a headache. It wasn't long before Leo came up to check on her, but his concern was met with sarcasm and bitterness.
"Leave me alone" she said.
He tried to reach out, "I don't think you should be alone right now."
"I don't care what you think."
Leo began to leave, but turned around to get one more look at her. He saw her pick up a glass of water, along with two pills. She swallowed the pills before looking back at him.
"What?" she asked with a stern glare. "What, Leo? They're just anxiety pills. They help me sleep."
"Did the doctor prescribed them?"
"You mean the one who kept me drugged all week? No. He just provided me with more."
"I'm not laughing," he said, responding to her grin.
"Relax. It's just Xanax. The doctor's been giving me Valium."
"Does he know you're combining the two?"
"I'm a big girl, Leo. I think I can take care of myself. Why don't you go tend to Jed? Maybe he's in the mood for a patronizing lecture."
"I wasn't trying to patronize you."
"You never try, Leo. You just succeed."
Realizing she was going to twist and spin every word he said, Leo left the room.
Leo followed Abbey to the kitchen in the Residence, where he saw her drinking a glass of water. This time, she was taking four pills. Abbey caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye.
"For God's sake, Leo, you scared the hell out of me! What are you doing?"
"Good old Xanax? Or is it Valium...or both?"
Abbey began to walk away as Leo shouted after her. "You're headed down a dangerous road, Abbey."
TBC
Chapter 5
Summary: After remembering a distraught Abbey turning to medication, Leo becomes very concerned
"Meaning my fever is down, I'm feeling okay. How long are you planning to stay?"
"Jed."
"Abbey, I want to know. Are you going back to New Hampshire?"
"I don't know" she answered honestly.
"How long are you going to punish me?" he asked with a sigh.
"Just yesterday you said you didn't want me here."
"That's right, because I knew this is what you were going to do. You run away. You've always run away."
"Do you remember what happened the last time we had this conversation?" she asked.
"Yeah and I don't care. I don't need your pity."
"Pity?"
"You came here because you thought I was having a relapse."
"Jed, that isn't the only reason I'm here. I'm here because I care about what happens to you."
"Please," he uttered while rolling his eyes.
"I'm not going to talk to you about this now," she said, getting up to leave.
"No, of course you're not. We always work on your timetable anyway, don't we?"
Abbey stared at her husband for a few moments before she left the room, calmly shutting the door behind her.
Just outside the door, she ran into Leo.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Just checking up on the President."
"He's up, but he shouldn't be stressed out right now."
"I wasn't planning on stressing him out, just asking how he is." The two stared at each other for a minute before Leo continued. "Abbey, this may not be the right time to ask, but are you going to leave once he's better?"
"That's none of your business."
"I'm asking as a friend," he said, touching her arm.
Abbey pulled away from his grasp, "No, you're asking as my husband's top political advisor. If I leave, you'll have more damage control, more war room spin you'll have to come up with. Again, it's none of your business," she said while reaching in to her purse.
"He missed you, Abbey."
Abbey took out a bottle of pills. "Leo, I really think you're the last person who should be getting in the middle of this."
Abbey was still angry. He knew that. After Zoey's abduction, the two had a bitter exchange. It wasn't just Jed that Abbey blamed. She put part of the blame on Leo's shoulders as well. She was furious with both men and while she may now be back out of her love for Jed, she hadn't completely forgiven either one.
Leo stared at Abbey as she walked away, carrying the bottle. He knew exactly what it was she had in her hand. He was the only person who knew.
Flashback
Leo's thoughts brought him back to the day of Zoey's funeral. The service was over and Jed had retreated to his office. He claimed he had work to do, but everyone knew he couldn't concentrate on work. He was there because he wanted to be alone. The one person he wanted to talk to, to comfort -- Abbey -- didn't want him. Abbey stayed in their bedroom. She sent Liz and Ellie out, claiming to have a headache. It wasn't long before Leo came up to check on her, but his concern was met with sarcasm and bitterness.
"Leave me alone" she said.
He tried to reach out, "I don't think you should be alone right now."
"I don't care what you think."
Leo began to leave, but turned around to get one more look at her. He saw her pick up a glass of water, along with two pills. She swallowed the pills before looking back at him.
"What?" she asked with a stern glare. "What, Leo? They're just anxiety pills. They help me sleep."
"Did the doctor prescribed them?"
"You mean the one who kept me drugged all week? No. He just provided me with more."
"I'm not laughing," he said, responding to her grin.
"Relax. It's just Xanax. The doctor's been giving me Valium."
"Does he know you're combining the two?"
"I'm a big girl, Leo. I think I can take care of myself. Why don't you go tend to Jed? Maybe he's in the mood for a patronizing lecture."
"I wasn't trying to patronize you."
"You never try, Leo. You just succeed."
Realizing she was going to twist and spin every word he said, Leo left the room.
Leo followed Abbey to the kitchen in the Residence, where he saw her drinking a glass of water. This time, she was taking four pills. Abbey caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye.
"For God's sake, Leo, you scared the hell out of me! What are you doing?"
"Good old Xanax? Or is it Valium...or both?"
Abbey began to walk away as Leo shouted after her. "You're headed down a dangerous road, Abbey."
TBC