Sweet Revenge
Chapter 7
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Previously: Abbey convinced CJ to let Emma go to daily staff meetings with Jed so they could find out what Emma was up to. After finding out she had nowhere else to go, Jed invited Emma to Thanksgiving dinner in the Residence.
Summary: Jed breaks the news about Thanksgiving to Abbey, expecting the worst. Later, Jed and CJ have a confrontation that leads to changes in the West Wing.
Jed walked up to the Residence ready for the fight he was sure was coming with Abbey. He always had a soft heart and when Emma told him she'd be all alone for Thanksgiving, he pictured one of his own daughters sitting home alone on such a holiday. He felt he had no choice but to invite her to dinner. But he was certain Abbey wouldn't be as sympathetic to the young woman's situation.
"Please don't get mad and don't throw things at me if you do," he pleaded.
"What have you done?" she asked.
"Emma and I had a long talk today and it turns out she's going to be all alone for Thanksgiving. So, I invited her to spend the day with us."
Abbey took in the information, but her anger was soon overshadowed by her love for her wonderful husband. He was always so generous, so loving. Often times, even total strangers were the beneficiaries of his good-will. But this wasn't a stranger. This was a woman Abbey didn't trust, even though she couldn't explain why.
"Abbey?" Jed called out her name, suspicious of her silence.
Without saying a word, she grabbed him and gave him a long, steamy kiss before settling in a tight hug and whispering "I love you" in his ear before letting go.
"I was so scared you were going to bite my head off," he said after he caught his breath.
"Well, you're not off the hook. You should have checked with me, Jed."
"I know I should have. I'm sorry."
"I'm going to have to look across my table on Thanksgiving, of all days, and see a woman I can't stand."
"You have no reason to hate her so much."
"It's her. That's reason enough."
"Abbey, what if it was one of our girls? What if Ellie couldn't make it home this year and she had no one to spend the day with? Would you be comfortable with that?"
Abbey paused before answering. "I guess I can put up with her for one night if it's that important to you," she conceded.
Jed put his arms around her waist, but she kept their upper bodies apart. "Thank you, Sweetheart."
"Jed, I love you for being the loving, caring man you've always been. I just wish you would use those qualities discriminately. You and Emma have gotten very close."
Jed wasn't sure what she meant by close, but he replied nonchalantly. "I respect her as a professional."
"And where does that leave CJ?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're not thinking about replacing CJ as your Press Secretary, are you?" Worried by the lack of response, she asked him again. "Jed, are you?"
"No. Not unless CJ wants out."
"You've thought about it, haven't you?"
"CJ and I haven't been on the best of terms for quite a while now, Abbey. She's disillusioned by the whole Administration and frankly, that bugs the hell out of me."
"Jed, you won't find a better Press Secretary than CJ. She's been an incredibly loyal member of your staff, even though you haven't always deserved her loyalty. You need to make amends with her."
Jed stared at his wife, knowing she was right. CJ had always been the one who defended the Administration, who defended him, even when he knew what he had done was indefensible. She was front and center, taking the heat over the MS scandal and later the Shareef assassination. Of course she was disillusioned. Who wouldn't be? But she never betrayed him. And he knew in his heart that she hadn't betrayed him this time either. Abbey was right. He had given CJ enough time to stew in her anger. Now, he had to fix things.
The next morning, he called for CJ to come to his office. He apologized to her for his accusation and asked her to resume all her regular duties as Press Secretary, including attending daily staff meetings with him. But CJ couldn't hold back her own anger. Jed had put her in a position where she felt she had to prove herself to her boss and to her colleagues. She resented him for making her feel that way.
"I have never leaked a story that you didn't want leaked, Sir."
"I know that."
"Really? Is that why you accused me in front of everyone?"
"You want a public apology?"
"No, Sir, I really don't want your apology. What I want is for you to acknowledge what's going on here," she replied. She knew she was stepping over the line, but at that moment, she really didn't care.
"Look, CJ..."
"No, you look. All of last year, you walked around here tearing up the walls. We all gave you a break because of what you were going through with Zoey and the First Lady. That's no longer an excuse. I don't like being treated this way." Jed looked down at his desk, unable to look her in the eye. What she said next is what shocked him. "If you want Emma as your new Press Secretary, by all means, make it happen."
"What does Emma have to do with this?"
"She has everything to do with it because I think she's the one who leaked that file."
"You're out of your mind."
"No, Sir, I'm not. You're blinded by her charm, but underneath that school-girl exterior is a manipulative young woman and she's got you exactly where she wants you."
"Have you been talking to my wife?"
"You're the only one who can't see it."
Jed circled around his desk and approached CJ, walking up to her face and closing off the space between them. "For your information, that 'manipulative young woman' spent an hour in my office yesterday defending you. She's not the monster you and Abbey have made her out to be."
"You're an older man and she's a very pretty woman. The attention she gives you must be flattering, but..." CJ began while taking a few steps backwards.
Jed was clearly angered by her assumption. He took a deep breath before beginning. "That's it, CJ. I'm done with this discussion. I've offered you an apology. Do with it what you want. If you'd rather resign, I welcome your resignation. That's all."
CJ left without another word. Jed walked back over to his desk as Leo walked into Oval Office.
"That was quite a scene," Leo said.
"You shouldn't have been listening."
"We can't lose CJ."
"We already have," Jed replied bitterly.
"Hey, what's going on?" Josh asked as he and Toby walked through Leo's office and poked their heads into the Oval.
"CJ's quitting," Leo answered.
"What? She can't quit."
"This has gone too far. It's ridiculous!" Toby shouted before leaving to find CJ.
That night, Jed entered the Residence hoping to find the same understanding Abbey he found the night before. Instead, he found an Abbey who seemed to be too busy making dinner to even talk to him about this. She had already exchanged notes with CJ and though his actions angered her, she figured the silence was the best way to avoid a fight.
"I really wish we could discuss this," he told her.
"There's no need, Jed. You have every right to hire and fire whomever you want."
"I didn't fire her, Abbey."
"You said you would welcome her resignation."
"You should have heard the things she said to me."
"Why is this girl that important to you?" she asked him, finally turning to look at him.
"It's not about Emma. I swear it's not."
"I agree with CJ. I think Emma leaked that story."
"You have no proof of that."
"That didn't stop you from accusing CJ."
"I apologized for that."
Abbey turned back to cutting up her vegetables. Jed walked over to the counter and asked if she wanted him to have the cooks send something up, hoping it would give them a chance to sit and down and talk this out. When she refused, he began to walk out.
"I have that right too, you know," she said, stopping him from leaving.
"What?" he asked as he turned towards her.
"To hire and fire whomever I want. I decided to hire CJ as my Press Secretary."
"You already have a several press people, Abbey."
"Yes, and they all do an excellent job, but I didn't have an official press secretary -- until today."
"What is this, a showdown of the dueling press secretaries?" Jed asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You keep your girl in line and I'll do the same with mine," she told him as she walked out of the kitchen.
TBC
Chapter 7
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Previously: Abbey convinced CJ to let Emma go to daily staff meetings with Jed so they could find out what Emma was up to. After finding out she had nowhere else to go, Jed invited Emma to Thanksgiving dinner in the Residence.
Summary: Jed breaks the news about Thanksgiving to Abbey, expecting the worst. Later, Jed and CJ have a confrontation that leads to changes in the West Wing.
Jed walked up to the Residence ready for the fight he was sure was coming with Abbey. He always had a soft heart and when Emma told him she'd be all alone for Thanksgiving, he pictured one of his own daughters sitting home alone on such a holiday. He felt he had no choice but to invite her to dinner. But he was certain Abbey wouldn't be as sympathetic to the young woman's situation.
"Please don't get mad and don't throw things at me if you do," he pleaded.
"What have you done?" she asked.
"Emma and I had a long talk today and it turns out she's going to be all alone for Thanksgiving. So, I invited her to spend the day with us."
Abbey took in the information, but her anger was soon overshadowed by her love for her wonderful husband. He was always so generous, so loving. Often times, even total strangers were the beneficiaries of his good-will. But this wasn't a stranger. This was a woman Abbey didn't trust, even though she couldn't explain why.
"Abbey?" Jed called out her name, suspicious of her silence.
Without saying a word, she grabbed him and gave him a long, steamy kiss before settling in a tight hug and whispering "I love you" in his ear before letting go.
"I was so scared you were going to bite my head off," he said after he caught his breath.
"Well, you're not off the hook. You should have checked with me, Jed."
"I know I should have. I'm sorry."
"I'm going to have to look across my table on Thanksgiving, of all days, and see a woman I can't stand."
"You have no reason to hate her so much."
"It's her. That's reason enough."
"Abbey, what if it was one of our girls? What if Ellie couldn't make it home this year and she had no one to spend the day with? Would you be comfortable with that?"
Abbey paused before answering. "I guess I can put up with her for one night if it's that important to you," she conceded.
Jed put his arms around her waist, but she kept their upper bodies apart. "Thank you, Sweetheart."
"Jed, I love you for being the loving, caring man you've always been. I just wish you would use those qualities discriminately. You and Emma have gotten very close."
Jed wasn't sure what she meant by close, but he replied nonchalantly. "I respect her as a professional."
"And where does that leave CJ?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're not thinking about replacing CJ as your Press Secretary, are you?" Worried by the lack of response, she asked him again. "Jed, are you?"
"No. Not unless CJ wants out."
"You've thought about it, haven't you?"
"CJ and I haven't been on the best of terms for quite a while now, Abbey. She's disillusioned by the whole Administration and frankly, that bugs the hell out of me."
"Jed, you won't find a better Press Secretary than CJ. She's been an incredibly loyal member of your staff, even though you haven't always deserved her loyalty. You need to make amends with her."
Jed stared at his wife, knowing she was right. CJ had always been the one who defended the Administration, who defended him, even when he knew what he had done was indefensible. She was front and center, taking the heat over the MS scandal and later the Shareef assassination. Of course she was disillusioned. Who wouldn't be? But she never betrayed him. And he knew in his heart that she hadn't betrayed him this time either. Abbey was right. He had given CJ enough time to stew in her anger. Now, he had to fix things.
The next morning, he called for CJ to come to his office. He apologized to her for his accusation and asked her to resume all her regular duties as Press Secretary, including attending daily staff meetings with him. But CJ couldn't hold back her own anger. Jed had put her in a position where she felt she had to prove herself to her boss and to her colleagues. She resented him for making her feel that way.
"I have never leaked a story that you didn't want leaked, Sir."
"I know that."
"Really? Is that why you accused me in front of everyone?"
"You want a public apology?"
"No, Sir, I really don't want your apology. What I want is for you to acknowledge what's going on here," she replied. She knew she was stepping over the line, but at that moment, she really didn't care.
"Look, CJ..."
"No, you look. All of last year, you walked around here tearing up the walls. We all gave you a break because of what you were going through with Zoey and the First Lady. That's no longer an excuse. I don't like being treated this way." Jed looked down at his desk, unable to look her in the eye. What she said next is what shocked him. "If you want Emma as your new Press Secretary, by all means, make it happen."
"What does Emma have to do with this?"
"She has everything to do with it because I think she's the one who leaked that file."
"You're out of your mind."
"No, Sir, I'm not. You're blinded by her charm, but underneath that school-girl exterior is a manipulative young woman and she's got you exactly where she wants you."
"Have you been talking to my wife?"
"You're the only one who can't see it."
Jed circled around his desk and approached CJ, walking up to her face and closing off the space between them. "For your information, that 'manipulative young woman' spent an hour in my office yesterday defending you. She's not the monster you and Abbey have made her out to be."
"You're an older man and she's a very pretty woman. The attention she gives you must be flattering, but..." CJ began while taking a few steps backwards.
Jed was clearly angered by her assumption. He took a deep breath before beginning. "That's it, CJ. I'm done with this discussion. I've offered you an apology. Do with it what you want. If you'd rather resign, I welcome your resignation. That's all."
CJ left without another word. Jed walked back over to his desk as Leo walked into Oval Office.
"That was quite a scene," Leo said.
"You shouldn't have been listening."
"We can't lose CJ."
"We already have," Jed replied bitterly.
"Hey, what's going on?" Josh asked as he and Toby walked through Leo's office and poked their heads into the Oval.
"CJ's quitting," Leo answered.
"What? She can't quit."
"This has gone too far. It's ridiculous!" Toby shouted before leaving to find CJ.
That night, Jed entered the Residence hoping to find the same understanding Abbey he found the night before. Instead, he found an Abbey who seemed to be too busy making dinner to even talk to him about this. She had already exchanged notes with CJ and though his actions angered her, she figured the silence was the best way to avoid a fight.
"I really wish we could discuss this," he told her.
"There's no need, Jed. You have every right to hire and fire whomever you want."
"I didn't fire her, Abbey."
"You said you would welcome her resignation."
"You should have heard the things she said to me."
"Why is this girl that important to you?" she asked him, finally turning to look at him.
"It's not about Emma. I swear it's not."
"I agree with CJ. I think Emma leaked that story."
"You have no proof of that."
"That didn't stop you from accusing CJ."
"I apologized for that."
Abbey turned back to cutting up her vegetables. Jed walked over to the counter and asked if she wanted him to have the cooks send something up, hoping it would give them a chance to sit and down and talk this out. When she refused, he began to walk out.
"I have that right too, you know," she said, stopping him from leaving.
"What?" he asked as he turned towards her.
"To hire and fire whomever I want. I decided to hire CJ as my Press Secretary."
"You already have a several press people, Abbey."
"Yes, and they all do an excellent job, but I didn't have an official press secretary -- until today."
"What is this, a showdown of the dueling press secretaries?" Jed asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You keep your girl in line and I'll do the same with mine," she told him as she walked out of the kitchen.
TBC