Sweet Revenge
Chapter 6
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Previously: Abbey admitted that though she's stopped taking her drugs, she can't bring herself to throw them away. Jed blamed CJ for leaking a secret report to the press, not realizing Emma was the one who actually did the deed.
Summary: Abbey begs CJ not to resign. Jed has an invitation for Emma.
When the First Couple had lunch that afternoon, Jed told Abbey about the blow-up in Leo's office, Abbey tried to convince him he had been too hard on CJ. They both knew CJ very well and she wasn't one to lie to either one of them. She always took responsibility for her mistakes and Abbey knew if she had leaked the story, she certainly wouldn't deny it and try to lay blame someone else. Deep down, Jed knew that too, but on the surface, he was still furious about the whole ordeal. CJ was the perfect scapegoat.
As Jed returned to work, Abbey headed towards CJ's office to get the facts. CJ explained to her that she never would have leaked such a story to the press. She knew what would happen if it got out and she couldn't imagine why anyone, especially the President, would suspect her motives in her position as White House Press Secretary. Abbey tried to run interference, but it was too late for that.
"Jed's been under a lot of stress lately. Let me talk to him," she offered.
"No. It won't do any good. Honestly, Mrs. Bartlet, I've had enough."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm thinking of resigning."
Emma interrupted the conversation with a coy smile for both women.
"Mrs. Bartlet, it's so good to see you again," she said reaching out to take the First Lady's hand.
"You too," Abbey replied.
"CJ, I want you to know that I heard what happened with that Social Security report and I feel so bad."
"You don't know who was in here last, do you?"
"No, I don't, but I think it's simply awful that you were blamed for it." Emma looked at both women and shrugged. "Well, I better get back to work."
She left CJ and Abbey both wondering the same thing, but afraid to tell the other. Finally, Abbey broke the silence.
"There's just something about her..."
"Yes!" CJ interjected. "She's just..."
"Too much," Abbey finished. "Which is why you can't resign."
"Excuse me?"
"CJ, I've never trusted this girl and I trust her less now than I did when she was in college. You're my only true ally in the West Wing. I want to know what she's up to and what she has on Jed."
"What do you mean?"
"There's something weird about her. I can't put my finger on it."
"You think she just has a crush?"
"I don't know. I used to think she did, but when her internship was over, we never heard from her again, until now."
"Well, she was 21 and he was the Governor of her home state. I can see where she might have had a little crush."
"Maybe back then. But now? She should be out with guys her own age."
"She was engaged last year."
"She was?" Abbey asked, a little surprised.
"Yeah. He died after a car accident."
"Really?"
"Yeah." They both watched Emma for a few minutes before CJ turned the topic back to her frustration with the President. "Look, Mrs. Bartlet, I really do think the best thing for me to do right now is to resign. I can't work for him if he's not going to trust me."
"CJ, he does trust you. Unfortunately, I think the majority of his frustration is directed at me. You just happened to be a convenient excuse. Please just give him some time to get over this. In the meantime, you can do me a favor. For now, let Emma deal with the President."
"What?"
"He said he doesn't want to hear from you until you find out who leaked the story, right? So whatever information you have for him, whenever you need to talk to him, brief Emma and let her do it instead."
"You think she's the leak don't you?"
"Yes, I do. And if that's true, then she has a goal in mind. The sooner we play along with her little game, the sooner we can find out what that goal is."
CJ nodded in agreement.
At the end of the day, it was Emma, not CJ, who met with the President and the rest of the senior staff. She claimed that CJ said she was too busy for the meeting herself, but everyone in the room knew that CJ was still angry, and everyone, including Jed, knew she had every right to be. He had been a jackass, as his wife would say. He took all the loyalty CJ had shown him over the past few years and threw it right back in her face. He felt ashamed, but he knew her well enough to give her some time to cool off before he approached her.
After the others left, Emma asked Jed for a few moments, just the two of them. Jed agreed. To Jed's surprise, Emma wanted to use her one-on-one time with the President to plead CJ's case. She defended her boss, saying she would never intentionally hurt the Administration and despite how it looks, CJ leaking the story just wasn't a plausible scenario. Her plea did more for herself than it did for CJ, which she knew it would before she even started.
Jed had always been impressed with her, but now her unwavering loyalty towards CJ only made him respect her even more. He gave her a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek before dismissing her.
"Wait," he called out before she left the Oval Office. "What are your plans for Thanksgiving?"
"I plan to throw a frozen turkey dinner into the microwave."
"Just like I thought. You're coming to the Residence to have Thanksgiving dinner with me and Abbey."
"I really don't want to intrude."
"No intrusion. The girls will be there. You've never met Liz's husband and kids. Leo will be there too."
"I don't know," she replied, still unsure.
"I insist. Please."
Emma smiled before accepting his invitation. Oh how she wished she could be a fly on the wall when Jed told Abbey. Despite her efforts to be charming towards her, she knew Abbey couldn't stand her. The First Lady only tolerated her because the President adored her. She couldn't wait to make a splash at her first Bartlet Thanksgiving.
TBC
Chapter 6
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Previously: Abbey admitted that though she's stopped taking her drugs, she can't bring herself to throw them away. Jed blamed CJ for leaking a secret report to the press, not realizing Emma was the one who actually did the deed.
Summary: Abbey begs CJ not to resign. Jed has an invitation for Emma.
When the First Couple had lunch that afternoon, Jed told Abbey about the blow-up in Leo's office, Abbey tried to convince him he had been too hard on CJ. They both knew CJ very well and she wasn't one to lie to either one of them. She always took responsibility for her mistakes and Abbey knew if she had leaked the story, she certainly wouldn't deny it and try to lay blame someone else. Deep down, Jed knew that too, but on the surface, he was still furious about the whole ordeal. CJ was the perfect scapegoat.
As Jed returned to work, Abbey headed towards CJ's office to get the facts. CJ explained to her that she never would have leaked such a story to the press. She knew what would happen if it got out and she couldn't imagine why anyone, especially the President, would suspect her motives in her position as White House Press Secretary. Abbey tried to run interference, but it was too late for that.
"Jed's been under a lot of stress lately. Let me talk to him," she offered.
"No. It won't do any good. Honestly, Mrs. Bartlet, I've had enough."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm thinking of resigning."
Emma interrupted the conversation with a coy smile for both women.
"Mrs. Bartlet, it's so good to see you again," she said reaching out to take the First Lady's hand.
"You too," Abbey replied.
"CJ, I want you to know that I heard what happened with that Social Security report and I feel so bad."
"You don't know who was in here last, do you?"
"No, I don't, but I think it's simply awful that you were blamed for it." Emma looked at both women and shrugged. "Well, I better get back to work."
She left CJ and Abbey both wondering the same thing, but afraid to tell the other. Finally, Abbey broke the silence.
"There's just something about her..."
"Yes!" CJ interjected. "She's just..."
"Too much," Abbey finished. "Which is why you can't resign."
"Excuse me?"
"CJ, I've never trusted this girl and I trust her less now than I did when she was in college. You're my only true ally in the West Wing. I want to know what she's up to and what she has on Jed."
"What do you mean?"
"There's something weird about her. I can't put my finger on it."
"You think she just has a crush?"
"I don't know. I used to think she did, but when her internship was over, we never heard from her again, until now."
"Well, she was 21 and he was the Governor of her home state. I can see where she might have had a little crush."
"Maybe back then. But now? She should be out with guys her own age."
"She was engaged last year."
"She was?" Abbey asked, a little surprised.
"Yeah. He died after a car accident."
"Really?"
"Yeah." They both watched Emma for a few minutes before CJ turned the topic back to her frustration with the President. "Look, Mrs. Bartlet, I really do think the best thing for me to do right now is to resign. I can't work for him if he's not going to trust me."
"CJ, he does trust you. Unfortunately, I think the majority of his frustration is directed at me. You just happened to be a convenient excuse. Please just give him some time to get over this. In the meantime, you can do me a favor. For now, let Emma deal with the President."
"What?"
"He said he doesn't want to hear from you until you find out who leaked the story, right? So whatever information you have for him, whenever you need to talk to him, brief Emma and let her do it instead."
"You think she's the leak don't you?"
"Yes, I do. And if that's true, then she has a goal in mind. The sooner we play along with her little game, the sooner we can find out what that goal is."
CJ nodded in agreement.
At the end of the day, it was Emma, not CJ, who met with the President and the rest of the senior staff. She claimed that CJ said she was too busy for the meeting herself, but everyone in the room knew that CJ was still angry, and everyone, including Jed, knew she had every right to be. He had been a jackass, as his wife would say. He took all the loyalty CJ had shown him over the past few years and threw it right back in her face. He felt ashamed, but he knew her well enough to give her some time to cool off before he approached her.
After the others left, Emma asked Jed for a few moments, just the two of them. Jed agreed. To Jed's surprise, Emma wanted to use her one-on-one time with the President to plead CJ's case. She defended her boss, saying she would never intentionally hurt the Administration and despite how it looks, CJ leaking the story just wasn't a plausible scenario. Her plea did more for herself than it did for CJ, which she knew it would before she even started.
Jed had always been impressed with her, but now her unwavering loyalty towards CJ only made him respect her even more. He gave her a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek before dismissing her.
"Wait," he called out before she left the Oval Office. "What are your plans for Thanksgiving?"
"I plan to throw a frozen turkey dinner into the microwave."
"Just like I thought. You're coming to the Residence to have Thanksgiving dinner with me and Abbey."
"I really don't want to intrude."
"No intrusion. The girls will be there. You've never met Liz's husband and kids. Leo will be there too."
"I don't know," she replied, still unsure.
"I insist. Please."
Emma smiled before accepting his invitation. Oh how she wished she could be a fly on the wall when Jed told Abbey. Despite her efforts to be charming towards her, she knew Abbey couldn't stand her. The First Lady only tolerated her because the President adored her. She couldn't wait to make a splash at her first Bartlet Thanksgiving.
TBC