Sweet Revenge
Chapter 26
Previously: Elizabeth came to Washington to take Annie back to New Hampshire where she could talk to the police.
Summary: The Bartlet gang face the consequences and have a special visitor.
Liz and Annie boarded the plane and left Washington alone. Now it was Jed's turn to come clean. He had to tell his staff what was about to happen and he was concerned about their reaction.
First was the matter of telling Charlie. He always valued Charlie's loyalty and loved him like a son. If he could have, he would have told Charlie the truth right away, but Annie's future was at stake and that was something he couldn't gamble with, not even for Charlie.
"I hope you understand," Jed told him. "And I hope you're not angry."
"Angry? No, Sir, I'm not. I'm relieved."
"Relieved?"
"Yes, Sir. After I saw what I did, I assumed you were the one..." Charlie cut himself off, feeling uncomfortable.
"It's okay. So did Abbey."
"She didn't know that Annie did it?"
"No. Neither of us did until three days later."
Charlie chuckled at the irony of Jed and Abbey suspecting one another, but he secretly hoped that he could one day find that kind of love with someone. It was the kind of love that would make you risk everything to keep the other person safe, even if it meant breaking laws, lying to those closest to you, and even covering up a murder.
He once thought he had found that person. It was Zoey. But she was taken away from him and he never learned to accept that he would someday find someone else he felt that immediate bond with. That kind of connection only came along once in a lifetime, he always told himself. And when it's broken, you could never get it back.
"You know," Jed began, bringing Charlie out of his daze, "Liz assumed the reason I wanted to protect Annie was because I was so powerless when Zoey was kidnapped."
"Was she right?"
"Maybe a little. For the second time, I let evil into our lives. I caused it to happen and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it."
"It wasn't your fault, Sir. None of it was your fault."
Jed nodded, waving off Charlie's attempts to comfort him. "If Emma had killed Annie...if she had pulled that trigger or if Annie hadn't fought back, I don't know what I would have done. I may not have brought her into this building, but I helped her threaten all of us by supporting her, believing in her, and defending her to everyone else. When Annie told us what happened, I felt as helpless as I did with Zoey." Jed looked up at the younger man, knowing he was still feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Charlie, do you ever think about Zoey?"
"Every minute of every day," he answered honestly.
"Yeah, me too."
The two men sat side by side, staring at the floor, not really knowing what words needed to be said. The silence, itself, spoke volumes.
As Jed told the rest of the staff the truth about Annie, they each reacted with shock, disbelief, and even curiosity. Leo was the most vocal, insisting Jed should have prepared him for this as soon as he found out. Jed tried to repeatedly explain why he and Abbey felt it was necessary to keep everyone else in the dark, but, for the most part, his explanation fell on deaf ears. There was damage control which needed to be done and it was the senior staff's job to do it.
Surprisingly, the person who had been put in the most awkward position of having to handle the press, was the one who expressed the most support. Years earlier, Jed had told CJ to never underestimate the love and the power of a grandfather, that they would do anything for their grandchildren. It was a lesson she never forgot and one that she was reminded of when she learned the truth. Jed and Abbey weren't covering up a murder to protect a stranger, or to seek revenge on the woman who threatened to make their lives a living hell. They did what they did out of love for their grandchild. She understood that and she prayed the rest of the world would too.
Months later, it became obvious. Many people did understand. Most didn't fault the First Couple for doing what so many of them would have done for their own kids and grandkids. But public opinion aside, laws were still broken and three people were dead. It had now been three months since Annie confessed to Emma's murder. Annie still wasn't sure if she was the one who actually pulled the trigger on that gun, but that didn't even matter. A judge found that Annie was acting in self-defense. There was enough evidence presented during her hearing that the case never even went to trial. Given Emma's state-of-mind, testimony from witnesses who claimed to have run-ins with her, and that infamous journal, coupled with the fact that two USSS agents were shot and killed by bullets that came from a gun registered to Emma, there was sufficient evidence to back up the judge's ruling.
Jed and Abbey got a slap on the wrist for their part in the cover-up and for tampering with the gun. Some constituents used the whole situation against them, claiming anyone else would have been charged with Obstruction of Justice. Supporters argued that given the circumstances, the judge's decision was a fair one. Once again, a controversial tragedy that struck the First Family slightly tarnished the Bartlet Presidency. But at least the family was still in tact, and to Jed, that's all that really mattered.
The First Family returned to the White House that evening to celebrate the end of one of the darkest chapters of their lives. As they gathered in the Residence, Abbey separated herself from the others. She hadn't told Jed about her concerns. She was worried that he wouldn't understand or that he simply wouldn't believe her.
It was difficult for her to talk about. Hell, it was difficult for her to even analyze it in her own mind, but the truth was, she didn't think she was crazy. Oh sure, the first time, she thought she was seeing things. But when it kept happening, she began to doubt it was all in her head.
Every now and then, she'd catch a glimpse of the long, blond hair, she'd see the piercing blue eyes staring at her through a door crack, or she'd hear a faint sinister laugh that she knew belonged to her. Emma was haunting her. But Abbey didn't believe in ghosts. She just didn't know what was going on. Maybe she really was hallucinating. Or was she?
Down the hall from where the First Family was celebrating, the blond young woman sat in a rocking chair, creaking back and forth over and over again. Somehow, she had managed to get past the Secret Service. Somehow, she crept in and out of the 136 rooms of the White House, including the 13 bedrooms in the Residence, without being seen, unless she wanted to, of course. Occassionally, she'd hide under Abbey's bed, waiting to stare her in the eyes if Abbey caught her. She was only spotted there once -- on New Year's Eve. She'd sneak into the bathroom and write little messages on the steam-covered mirrors while her victims were in the shower. Sometimes, she'd peer in through a doorway, like the time Annie swore she saw Emma watching her. Once, she even presented herself in a window in the Residence while Annie walked through the garden. But it wasn't really Emma.
Morgan Bradford had learned how to hide in plain sight, for she had been living in the Residence for the past three months. She had alluded the Secret Service, the First Lady, and even the Presdent, as she waited silently, yet dangerously, to avenge her twin sister's murder.
The End
Chapter 26
Previously: Elizabeth came to Washington to take Annie back to New Hampshire where she could talk to the police.
Summary: The Bartlet gang face the consequences and have a special visitor.
Liz and Annie boarded the plane and left Washington alone. Now it was Jed's turn to come clean. He had to tell his staff what was about to happen and he was concerned about their reaction.
First was the matter of telling Charlie. He always valued Charlie's loyalty and loved him like a son. If he could have, he would have told Charlie the truth right away, but Annie's future was at stake and that was something he couldn't gamble with, not even for Charlie.
"I hope you understand," Jed told him. "And I hope you're not angry."
"Angry? No, Sir, I'm not. I'm relieved."
"Relieved?"
"Yes, Sir. After I saw what I did, I assumed you were the one..." Charlie cut himself off, feeling uncomfortable.
"It's okay. So did Abbey."
"She didn't know that Annie did it?"
"No. Neither of us did until three days later."
Charlie chuckled at the irony of Jed and Abbey suspecting one another, but he secretly hoped that he could one day find that kind of love with someone. It was the kind of love that would make you risk everything to keep the other person safe, even if it meant breaking laws, lying to those closest to you, and even covering up a murder.
He once thought he had found that person. It was Zoey. But she was taken away from him and he never learned to accept that he would someday find someone else he felt that immediate bond with. That kind of connection only came along once in a lifetime, he always told himself. And when it's broken, you could never get it back.
"You know," Jed began, bringing Charlie out of his daze, "Liz assumed the reason I wanted to protect Annie was because I was so powerless when Zoey was kidnapped."
"Was she right?"
"Maybe a little. For the second time, I let evil into our lives. I caused it to happen and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it."
"It wasn't your fault, Sir. None of it was your fault."
Jed nodded, waving off Charlie's attempts to comfort him. "If Emma had killed Annie...if she had pulled that trigger or if Annie hadn't fought back, I don't know what I would have done. I may not have brought her into this building, but I helped her threaten all of us by supporting her, believing in her, and defending her to everyone else. When Annie told us what happened, I felt as helpless as I did with Zoey." Jed looked up at the younger man, knowing he was still feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Charlie, do you ever think about Zoey?"
"Every minute of every day," he answered honestly.
"Yeah, me too."
The two men sat side by side, staring at the floor, not really knowing what words needed to be said. The silence, itself, spoke volumes.
As Jed told the rest of the staff the truth about Annie, they each reacted with shock, disbelief, and even curiosity. Leo was the most vocal, insisting Jed should have prepared him for this as soon as he found out. Jed tried to repeatedly explain why he and Abbey felt it was necessary to keep everyone else in the dark, but, for the most part, his explanation fell on deaf ears. There was damage control which needed to be done and it was the senior staff's job to do it.
Surprisingly, the person who had been put in the most awkward position of having to handle the press, was the one who expressed the most support. Years earlier, Jed had told CJ to never underestimate the love and the power of a grandfather, that they would do anything for their grandchildren. It was a lesson she never forgot and one that she was reminded of when she learned the truth. Jed and Abbey weren't covering up a murder to protect a stranger, or to seek revenge on the woman who threatened to make their lives a living hell. They did what they did out of love for their grandchild. She understood that and she prayed the rest of the world would too.
Months later, it became obvious. Many people did understand. Most didn't fault the First Couple for doing what so many of them would have done for their own kids and grandkids. But public opinion aside, laws were still broken and three people were dead. It had now been three months since Annie confessed to Emma's murder. Annie still wasn't sure if she was the one who actually pulled the trigger on that gun, but that didn't even matter. A judge found that Annie was acting in self-defense. There was enough evidence presented during her hearing that the case never even went to trial. Given Emma's state-of-mind, testimony from witnesses who claimed to have run-ins with her, and that infamous journal, coupled with the fact that two USSS agents were shot and killed by bullets that came from a gun registered to Emma, there was sufficient evidence to back up the judge's ruling.
Jed and Abbey got a slap on the wrist for their part in the cover-up and for tampering with the gun. Some constituents used the whole situation against them, claiming anyone else would have been charged with Obstruction of Justice. Supporters argued that given the circumstances, the judge's decision was a fair one. Once again, a controversial tragedy that struck the First Family slightly tarnished the Bartlet Presidency. But at least the family was still in tact, and to Jed, that's all that really mattered.
The First Family returned to the White House that evening to celebrate the end of one of the darkest chapters of their lives. As they gathered in the Residence, Abbey separated herself from the others. She hadn't told Jed about her concerns. She was worried that he wouldn't understand or that he simply wouldn't believe her.
It was difficult for her to talk about. Hell, it was difficult for her to even analyze it in her own mind, but the truth was, she didn't think she was crazy. Oh sure, the first time, she thought she was seeing things. But when it kept happening, she began to doubt it was all in her head.
Every now and then, she'd catch a glimpse of the long, blond hair, she'd see the piercing blue eyes staring at her through a door crack, or she'd hear a faint sinister laugh that she knew belonged to her. Emma was haunting her. But Abbey didn't believe in ghosts. She just didn't know what was going on. Maybe she really was hallucinating. Or was she?
Down the hall from where the First Family was celebrating, the blond young woman sat in a rocking chair, creaking back and forth over and over again. Somehow, she had managed to get past the Secret Service. Somehow, she crept in and out of the 136 rooms of the White House, including the 13 bedrooms in the Residence, without being seen, unless she wanted to, of course. Occassionally, she'd hide under Abbey's bed, waiting to stare her in the eyes if Abbey caught her. She was only spotted there once -- on New Year's Eve. She'd sneak into the bathroom and write little messages on the steam-covered mirrors while her victims were in the shower. Sometimes, she'd peer in through a doorway, like the time Annie swore she saw Emma watching her. Once, she even presented herself in a window in the Residence while Annie walked through the garden. But it wasn't really Emma.
Morgan Bradford had learned how to hide in plain sight, for she had been living in the Residence for the past three months. She had alluded the Secret Service, the First Lady, and even the Presdent, as she waited silently, yet dangerously, to avenge her twin sister's murder.
The End