The Heart Brings You Back
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Chapter 10
Previously: After a night of lovemaking, Jed and Abbey were back on track. Leo told Jed that he's worried Abbey may be self-medicating.
Summary: Jed doesn't know whether or not to believe Abbey, but doesn't want to make any more waves.
When Jed walked to the Residence that afternoon, he found Abbey making a sandwich in the kitchen. He walked up behind her, not tipping her off to his presence before wrapping his arms around her. Abbey looked up but kept her back to him as a smile began to form on her face.
"We can't. My husband will be home shortly," she teased.
"Very funny, Sweet Knees" he replied, blowing the back of her ear.
She laughed and took his hand, leading him to stand beside her. "You're home early."
"I promised you I'd only work half days for the next several days."
"Yeah, but it's not even noon," she reminded him as he took a seat at the table.
"I have something important I have to deal with."
"What's that?"
"You," he said, using a more serious tone.
Abbey took her plate over to the table and sat across from her husband. "What's wrong?"
"Leo talked to me today."
Abbey rolled her eyes, knowing where he was going with this. She tried to change the subject, asking about Leo and how he was doing. He saw through that and veered the subject back to her. He asked her if she was on any medication. Leo was overreacting, she thought and the last thing Jed needed was to be concerned about a problem that didn't exist. So she answered his question with a less than honest response.
"I was last year. Now I'm fine."
"He says he saw you taking some pills just a few days ago."
"They were vitamins, Jed," she lied.
Jed was relieved, but he was still confused. "Why didn't you tell him that?"
"He didn't give me a chance to. He just accused me and honestly, I had had enough. You were sick and you had just bitten my head off. The last thing I needed was to explain myself to Leo. And anyway, he shouldn't have assumed anything and he certainly shouldn't have gone to you."
"He was worried."
"Yeah, worried," she said sarcastically.
"Abbey."
"There's nothing to worry about," she insisted.
"Okay," Jed said with a smile.
He got up and walked over to her, still unsteady on his legs. He bent down and kissed her on the top of the head, then took the seat right next to her. He believed his wife. The one thing he was sure of was that Abbey wasn't a liar. If she said there was nothing to worry about, then there was nothing to worry about. It was a misunderstanding on Leo's part, he told himself. Abbey cut her sandwich in two, handing part of it to Jed.
After lunch, Jed insisted on going back to the office for a couple of hours. He had some reading he had to finish and he wanted to go over his calendar for the next few days. Abbey went with him, not wanting to give Leo another opportunity for a heart-to-heart. Having Abbey there with him was a distraction for Jed. He couldn't concentrate on reading what he needed to, and she knew that, but she didn't care. And when he had to excuse himself to take a call, Abbey took the opportunity to walk over to Leo's office.
She surprised Leo with her cheerful demeanor. He figured she'd be angry, to say the least. But she didn't seem to be. Instead, she seemed grateful for his concern. Leo led her inside, shutting the door behind her, shutting them off from the Oval Office.
"They were just vitamins, Leo," she told him. "You should have come to me."
"I tried and you walked away," he reminded her.
"Well, it's all resolved now. I'm fine."
Leo didn't believe her. He knew she was in denial. "How many 'vitamins' did you take today, Abbey?"
Abbey could sense the distrust in his voice. "What's with you, Leo? Are you just looking for a fight, or are you trying to drive another wedge between me and Jed?"
Stung by her accusation, Leo chose not to answer. "I have a lot of work to do," he replied instead, hoping she'd take the hint and leave his office.
"Then I won't keep you. Just don't get in the middle of me and my husband."
She left his office, entering the Oval Office once again to see Jed standing by the door. He had overheard part of their conversation, but Abbey insisted there was no problem. She claimed that she and Leo just hadn't been on the same wavelength since she came back to the White House. To Jed, that was an understatement. Abbey and Leo had many disturbing conversations before Abbey left Washington. And when Jed tried to defend Leo, it only bought him more time in the penalty box.
Flashback
Jed walked into sitting room where Abbey had been absentmindedly flipping through a magazine. His entrance didn't grab her attention. In fact, she began pretending to read, hoping he wouldn't push her into a conversation she wasn't ready to have. No such luck.
"You kicked Leo out of the Residence?" he asked her.
"I excluded him from a meeting between me and Ron Butterfield."
"He's my Chief of Staff."
"The meeting was about beefing up security for Elizabeth and Ellie. It had nothing to do with Leo," she insisted.
"Abbey, none of this is Leo's fault," he said, joining her on the sofa.
"I'm not assigning blame."
"You're blaming him and you're blaming me. That's why I didn't know about this meeting either."
"It's not like you would have thought it was important."
"Abbey..."
"I just think our daughters should have one parent who's looking out for them above everyone else."
And there it was, that insipid tone, reminiscent of the bitter woman she had become. She wasn't just angry. She was vengeful. Jed wisely ignored her baiting remark and headed for the bedroom.
Desperate to avoid a fight, Jed put his arms around Abbey's waist and led her back to the Residence. When they walked into the dining room, Abbey sat him down on a chair, realizing his legs were giving him trouble once again. She walked over and brought him the cane she wanted him to begin using.
"Just try it for a few days," she told him.
"We already talked about this."
"Honey, it's not that big a deal."
Jed pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her body. "I'm fine."
"Please. I don't want you collapsing on the floor of the Oval Office. Just keep it with you. If you don't need it, you don't have to use it."
"And you'll stop nagging me?" he asked with a grin.
"Yes."
He kissed her on the lips, then ran his fingers over her forehead, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Okay," he replied.
Abbey snuggled up next to him as he held her tightly in his arms.
"Jed?"
"Yeah?"
"I'd like to move back to the White House -- permanently -- if it's okay."
Jed pulled her away from him to look at her face. "Really?" She nodded. "Sweetheart, this is your home. You never have to ask permission."
Abbey rested her head against his before he continued.
"I am curious though. I know you began practicing medicine again in Boston. You're okay with resigning from the hospital?"
"I already resigned," she said. "Three weeks ago."
Jed was shocked, but not unhappy. He finally had his wife back for good. There were times he wondered if he'd ever hold her again, and now, she announced she was coming home to him.
His elation was short-lived, however. He knew there was something else going on with Abbey. She had claimed she decided to come back to the White House when she watched his State of the Union and saw how sick he was. But the State of the Union was only two weeks ago, so why did she resign from the hospital before knowing that he was sick? Was she planning on coming back anyway or was there something else going on? And despite his efforts, he couldn't forget about Leo's warning. He wanted to believe Abbey and he kept telling himself that he did, but doubts kept creeping up. Could she really be medicating herself? Could she be lying to him about it? Was there something else she was hiding from him, he wondered.
As his wife prepared a hot bubble bath that night, Jed decided he had to find out what she was keeping from him. He had to know if she was really as fine as she claimed to be. He knew he was about to cross a line he didn't want to cross, but there was no other way. He looked through her dresser and the bags that she had yet to unpack. He didn't find anything unusual, but when he came across the purse she had been using that afternoon and looked inside, Jed found a prescription bottle. The label had been torn off. He opened it and found two different kinds of pills. Inside another purse, he found another bottle. He took the bottles and put them inside the pocket of the jacket he planned to wear the next day. When Abbey emerged from the bathroom, he didn't mention his discovery. Instead he gave her a sensuous kiss and held her in his arms as they both fell asleep.
TBC
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Chapter 10
Previously: After a night of lovemaking, Jed and Abbey were back on track. Leo told Jed that he's worried Abbey may be self-medicating.
Summary: Jed doesn't know whether or not to believe Abbey, but doesn't want to make any more waves.
When Jed walked to the Residence that afternoon, he found Abbey making a sandwich in the kitchen. He walked up behind her, not tipping her off to his presence before wrapping his arms around her. Abbey looked up but kept her back to him as a smile began to form on her face.
"We can't. My husband will be home shortly," she teased.
"Very funny, Sweet Knees" he replied, blowing the back of her ear.
She laughed and took his hand, leading him to stand beside her. "You're home early."
"I promised you I'd only work half days for the next several days."
"Yeah, but it's not even noon," she reminded him as he took a seat at the table.
"I have something important I have to deal with."
"What's that?"
"You," he said, using a more serious tone.
Abbey took her plate over to the table and sat across from her husband. "What's wrong?"
"Leo talked to me today."
Abbey rolled her eyes, knowing where he was going with this. She tried to change the subject, asking about Leo and how he was doing. He saw through that and veered the subject back to her. He asked her if she was on any medication. Leo was overreacting, she thought and the last thing Jed needed was to be concerned about a problem that didn't exist. So she answered his question with a less than honest response.
"I was last year. Now I'm fine."
"He says he saw you taking some pills just a few days ago."
"They were vitamins, Jed," she lied.
Jed was relieved, but he was still confused. "Why didn't you tell him that?"
"He didn't give me a chance to. He just accused me and honestly, I had had enough. You were sick and you had just bitten my head off. The last thing I needed was to explain myself to Leo. And anyway, he shouldn't have assumed anything and he certainly shouldn't have gone to you."
"He was worried."
"Yeah, worried," she said sarcastically.
"Abbey."
"There's nothing to worry about," she insisted.
"Okay," Jed said with a smile.
He got up and walked over to her, still unsteady on his legs. He bent down and kissed her on the top of the head, then took the seat right next to her. He believed his wife. The one thing he was sure of was that Abbey wasn't a liar. If she said there was nothing to worry about, then there was nothing to worry about. It was a misunderstanding on Leo's part, he told himself. Abbey cut her sandwich in two, handing part of it to Jed.
After lunch, Jed insisted on going back to the office for a couple of hours. He had some reading he had to finish and he wanted to go over his calendar for the next few days. Abbey went with him, not wanting to give Leo another opportunity for a heart-to-heart. Having Abbey there with him was a distraction for Jed. He couldn't concentrate on reading what he needed to, and she knew that, but she didn't care. And when he had to excuse himself to take a call, Abbey took the opportunity to walk over to Leo's office.
She surprised Leo with her cheerful demeanor. He figured she'd be angry, to say the least. But she didn't seem to be. Instead, she seemed grateful for his concern. Leo led her inside, shutting the door behind her, shutting them off from the Oval Office.
"They were just vitamins, Leo," she told him. "You should have come to me."
"I tried and you walked away," he reminded her.
"Well, it's all resolved now. I'm fine."
Leo didn't believe her. He knew she was in denial. "How many 'vitamins' did you take today, Abbey?"
Abbey could sense the distrust in his voice. "What's with you, Leo? Are you just looking for a fight, or are you trying to drive another wedge between me and Jed?"
Stung by her accusation, Leo chose not to answer. "I have a lot of work to do," he replied instead, hoping she'd take the hint and leave his office.
"Then I won't keep you. Just don't get in the middle of me and my husband."
She left his office, entering the Oval Office once again to see Jed standing by the door. He had overheard part of their conversation, but Abbey insisted there was no problem. She claimed that she and Leo just hadn't been on the same wavelength since she came back to the White House. To Jed, that was an understatement. Abbey and Leo had many disturbing conversations before Abbey left Washington. And when Jed tried to defend Leo, it only bought him more time in the penalty box.
Flashback
Jed walked into sitting room where Abbey had been absentmindedly flipping through a magazine. His entrance didn't grab her attention. In fact, she began pretending to read, hoping he wouldn't push her into a conversation she wasn't ready to have. No such luck.
"You kicked Leo out of the Residence?" he asked her.
"I excluded him from a meeting between me and Ron Butterfield."
"He's my Chief of Staff."
"The meeting was about beefing up security for Elizabeth and Ellie. It had nothing to do with Leo," she insisted.
"Abbey, none of this is Leo's fault," he said, joining her on the sofa.
"I'm not assigning blame."
"You're blaming him and you're blaming me. That's why I didn't know about this meeting either."
"It's not like you would have thought it was important."
"Abbey..."
"I just think our daughters should have one parent who's looking out for them above everyone else."
And there it was, that insipid tone, reminiscent of the bitter woman she had become. She wasn't just angry. She was vengeful. Jed wisely ignored her baiting remark and headed for the bedroom.
Desperate to avoid a fight, Jed put his arms around Abbey's waist and led her back to the Residence. When they walked into the dining room, Abbey sat him down on a chair, realizing his legs were giving him trouble once again. She walked over and brought him the cane she wanted him to begin using.
"Just try it for a few days," she told him.
"We already talked about this."
"Honey, it's not that big a deal."
Jed pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her body. "I'm fine."
"Please. I don't want you collapsing on the floor of the Oval Office. Just keep it with you. If you don't need it, you don't have to use it."
"And you'll stop nagging me?" he asked with a grin.
"Yes."
He kissed her on the lips, then ran his fingers over her forehead, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Okay," he replied.
Abbey snuggled up next to him as he held her tightly in his arms.
"Jed?"
"Yeah?"
"I'd like to move back to the White House -- permanently -- if it's okay."
Jed pulled her away from him to look at her face. "Really?" She nodded. "Sweetheart, this is your home. You never have to ask permission."
Abbey rested her head against his before he continued.
"I am curious though. I know you began practicing medicine again in Boston. You're okay with resigning from the hospital?"
"I already resigned," she said. "Three weeks ago."
Jed was shocked, but not unhappy. He finally had his wife back for good. There were times he wondered if he'd ever hold her again, and now, she announced she was coming home to him.
His elation was short-lived, however. He knew there was something else going on with Abbey. She had claimed she decided to come back to the White House when she watched his State of the Union and saw how sick he was. But the State of the Union was only two weeks ago, so why did she resign from the hospital before knowing that he was sick? Was she planning on coming back anyway or was there something else going on? And despite his efforts, he couldn't forget about Leo's warning. He wanted to believe Abbey and he kept telling himself that he did, but doubts kept creeping up. Could she really be medicating herself? Could she be lying to him about it? Was there something else she was hiding from him, he wondered.
As his wife prepared a hot bubble bath that night, Jed decided he had to find out what she was keeping from him. He had to know if she was really as fine as she claimed to be. He knew he was about to cross a line he didn't want to cross, but there was no other way. He looked through her dresser and the bags that she had yet to unpack. He didn't find anything unusual, but when he came across the purse she had been using that afternoon and looked inside, Jed found a prescription bottle. The label had been torn off. He opened it and found two different kinds of pills. Inside another purse, he found another bottle. He took the bottles and put them inside the pocket of the jacket he planned to wear the next day. When Abbey emerged from the bathroom, he didn't mention his discovery. Instead he gave her a sensuous kiss and held her in his arms as they both fell asleep.
TBC