Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Endings and Beginnings

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Jed and Abbey worried about Elizabeth's first day of school amidst protests and rioting

Summary: Liz is impatiently waiting for the baby to arrive; Jed is motivated to make a difference; Jed and Abbey rush to the hospital

- - -

Elizabeth Ann Bartlet wanted a little sister. That was obvious. Since the day her parents told her to expect a sibling, her face lit up with images of holding a real life baby in her arms. Visions of a little girl, preferably blonde, monopolized her daily thoughts.

As she helped Abbey count down the days until the baby's birth, she became obsessed with the joy that consumed her. The very notion of sibling quality time excited her to the point that she practically expected the newborn to leap from her crib to participate.

But something peculiar happened, something Liz wasn't expecting.

The calendar hung in her room. Big red "Xs" were drawn as each day passed. A red circle engulfed the number 24 since that was Abbey's due date -- September 24th. Unfortunately, an "X" now dominated that box as well.

It was October 1st and little Lizzie was slowly losing her mind with anticipation. While her friends played outside, she spent her free time hovering over her mother's stomach, cheering for the baby to start her journey through the womb.

"Come on, Emily, you can do it!" she encouraged, her head hanging forward allowing her chestnut hair to tickle Abbey's skin. "Come out and play."

"So now we've named her?" Abbey asked, cupping her daughter's chin to lift her head.

"Uh huh. I like Emily. Can that be her name?"

"We'll see. I'll talk to Daddy about it. But why don't you hop up on the couch and sit next to Mommy a second."

"Okay!"

Once she was settled, Abbey's arm wrapped around her shoulder to comfort her. "What makes you so sure this baby's a little girl?"

She didn't hesitate in repeating the same answer she had given numerous times before. "I just know it is! I want a sister! Girls are fun!"

"But wouldn't you also like to have a brother?"

The thought practically grossed her out. She scrunched her face and replied. "Uh uh! Boys aren't fun!"

With a soft laugh, Abbey held her tighter, preparing her for what she was about to say. "Sweetheart, I just want you to be prepared because Mommy doesn't know if she's having a little boy or a little girl."

"It's a girl!" she insisted once again.

This was harder than Abbey expected. She had to curtail Liz's enthusiasm before disappointment set in. "What if it isn't? What if it's a little boy?"

Elizabeth's brows furrowed in disbelief. Her eyes suddenly sparkled with seriousness, making Abbey aware that the possibility was simply out of the question. "Then we'll send him back!"

The twinge of annoyance in her voice halted the conversation. It was that same refusal to accept a brother that led Abbey to pray every night when Mary was pregnant with Kate. At the time, she didn't understand that a baby's sex was determined at conception, not just before birth. Pretty soon, she would need to make Liz aware of that.

"Come on, Emily," Liz whined as she curled up her fists and hit Abbey's stomach.

It wasn't a hard punch, but it shocked her nonetheless. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"My friend Susie says we have to MAKE her come out."

"Oh no you don't. She'll come out when she's good and ready."

Liz paused briefly, frustrated by her foiled attempt to rush things along. "Okay," she conceded sadly. "I can't scare her out?"

"I'm afraid not, Sweetie. She'll come out on her own."

Liz watched Abbey caress her belly, applying slight pressure over the bulge. She turned away from the scene, her lips curving down with a frown. She waited a few minutes, then twisted back sharply and screamed into Abbey's stomach.

"BOO!"

Still nothing from the baby, though Abbey jolted in terror. "Elizabeth!"

"Sorry."

She wasn't the only one waiting impatiently for the arrival of Baby Bartlet. Jed had spent many sleepless nights watching his wife's stomach contract and expand with every squirm of the infant inside. Her bags were packed and ready for the hospital at the slightest hint of labor. But there was none. Other than the extra weight she carried and a few extra doctor's visits to ensure the baby's safety, there was no indication that she was as pregnant as she was.

And so at Abbey's insistence, he left to go to work.

"For Wednesday, be prepared to tell me why Hilt's economic expansion plan failed miserably," Jed addressed his students.

"Professor Bartlet?"

"Yes?"

"What if I don't think it failed?" That was Tyler Payne. He was a smart young man with a good head on his shoulders. Jed sensed right away that Tyler would keep him on his toes.

"What?"

"Roger Hilt's plan itself may have been a disaster, but it was the model that was later used for more successful solutions, right?"

"Right."

"So how is that a failure?"

Jed absolutely reveled in a challenge. Tyler's tenacity frequently forced him to look beyond his black and white landscape and include a bit of gray into his teaching.

"Okay. I want you to be ready to explain how his model helped future economists prepare their own on Wednesday. That's all, class."

The other students shuffled out, but Tyler stopped to talk to his professor. "I won't be here on Wednesday, Sir."

"No?" It was a bit of a shock as Tyler never missed a day of school. Not in this class, nor in the two others Jed taught before it.

"I hate to miss class, but it's kind of important."

"What's up?"

"Some friends and I are driving to Washington...there's a group called Bring Americans Home. It's an anti-war group. We're meeting with them so we can start a chapter here on campus."

Jed simply nodded at the thought. Anti-war demonstrations were important. They were the epitome of every American's right to free speech. But they also left him conflicted. He had seen the brutality of war on television. He had seen the torment the soldiers faced in the eyes of his best friend, Leo. Protesting the Vietnam War had become synonymous with protesting the troops and once that happened, his deep respect for Leo kept him out of the fray.

"Well, then I guess I'll see you next week," he replied, respectfully dismissing his student from class.

The city was packed to capacity with protesters opposing the war, busing, and other controversial topics that dominated the evening news. Jed was surrounded by events that impacted the lives of millions and, yet, he didn't have a voice. He could join those speaking out against atrocities just as he had done in his younger years, but he wanted more. Much more.

Aspirations of a different role, one in public service, were weighing heavily on his mind. His family's long history in politics notwithstanding, his background had prepared him to lead, not to follow.

But at the moment, there were other responsibilities to tend to. As he drove up to the three-story walkup on Wigglesworth Street, his earlier thoughts vanished just as quickly as they had appeared, replaced by confusion immediately after he greeted Abbey.

"I'm concerned I might be having a boy," she said.

"That's a bad thing now?"

"Well, for Lizzie." Her fingers barely grasped his as she led him into the bedroom. "She really wants a little girl."

"Then I guess we should hope for a little girl." There was that facetious nature of his that sometimes grated on her nerves.

"Jed, I'm serious."

His coy smile lightened the mood for a moment as he began to unbutton his shirt. "Abbey, she wants a girl now because she doesn't know what it's like to have a brother. She can't imagine it. If the baby is a boy, she'll learn to love him just as she would a sister."

He made no effort to pick up the clothes that fell to the floor. Instead, he stepped out of his pants and gently helped Abbey onto the bed, propping her head on her pillow.

"I don't know. You and your brother didn't get along nearly as well as Kate and I did."

"That's different."

"How?" His look was enough to remind her of the stormy relationships in the Bartlet house. "Oh, right. Sorry."

"I think you're worrying about nothing. What you should be worrying about is the fact that in eight months, you're going to be walking across a stage holding a medical degree and if that baby isn't out of your stomach by then..."

"You're as bad as Lizzie," she replied with a shrug and a stern shake of her head. "I'm the one who should be complaining. Do you have any idea how uncomfortable this is?"

"The doctor suggested inducing labor."

"Not yet. It's safer to just wait." After patting her head against the pillow repetitively, she finally laid back.

He loved her hair sprawled out like that. He loved her pajamas molding to the mounds on her chest. He loved everything about her. He licked his lips and reminded himself that he could help relieve her discomfort. "In the meantime, how about I make you feel better?"

"How?" As if she didn't know.

"I'm surprised at you, Doc," he teased. "You know they say sex can help things along," he said with a kiss to her lips as his hands massaged the satiny material over her breasts.

Only a light moan escaped her mouth before she surrendered. Her pajama bottoms slipped off after Jed tugged at the hem. In no time at all, her clothes were strewn around the bedroom, her naked body was scantily covered by only a thin sheet, and her muscles were twitching with desire. She felt his warm breath across the delicate skin of her inner thighs. His tongue trailed it's way up her body and soon, his mouth enveloped her completely.

With her head pressed into the pillow, she was beginning to lose control. Her reaction convinced him she was ready for what came next. He pulled away for a moment to bear down on the mattress, then entered her, his first thrust so powerful it shook her intimately. She squirmed slightly, inflating his ego and preparing him to repeat the action...until she called his name.

"Jed!"

The alarm in her voice stopped him immediately. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"The baby's coming."

It took seconds for the words to register superficially. His eyes fell to where their bodies were joined. "Now?"

"Right now."

Agony. She might be the one ready to give birth, but for him, it was pure agony.

"Okay." He took a deep breath and withdrew from inside her, collapsing onto his side while struggling to catch his breath.

"What are you doing?"

"I just need a minute." Then it hit him, overshadowing his physical pain with resounding confirmation as Abbey toddled from the bed. "Oh God! Abbey, are you in pain? Did your water break?"

"Not yet. But I think it's going to. I'm feeling the contractions."

"You're sure this isn't false labor?"

"Jed, I'm a week overdue. I pray to God it's not false labor. We'll be fine. Just call my parents and tell them we'll drop Lizzie off on the way to the hospital. I'll call the doctor, get dressed, and meet you in the car."

Having gone through this once before should have prepared him for this moment, he thought. But then again, he wasn't with Abbey when she went into labor with Elizabeth. He was at Leo's wedding in Chicago. This was the first time he'd rush her to the hospital and though they had practiced the route many times in the past few weeks, doing it for real somehow opened the gates to sheer terror.

He threw his legs into a pair of pants and pulled a Notre Dame sweatshirt over his head then grabbed Abbey's hospital bag as he headed towards the car. After tossing the bag inside, he hurried back to the apartment and picked up a sleepy Liz, wrapping her up in a blanket and stroking her hair as she stirred in his arms.

"It's okay, Sweetie. We're going for a ride to grandma's."

"Grandma?" she mumbled.

"Go to sleep," he responded in a loving whisper.

His hands still trembling, he took cautious steps down the concrete stairs outside, but as one foot landed on the edge, he lost his balance and crashed to the ground. Liz jostled against him, bolting up from the sudden drop.

"Daddy!"

"It's okay. Daddy's fine." They were comforting, yet insincere words.

"Jed! Jed, what happened?" Abbey's frantic calls became more frenzied as she ran from the apartment to help her husband and crying daughter.

"I'm fine, Abbey."

"Daddy." Liz wiped the tears that formed in her eyes at the sight of her father fighting to regain his equilibrium.

"Daddy's going to be okay, Sweetheart." Abbey pulled the little girl from Jed's arms and extended her hand to her husband. "How about you? Did you get hurt?"

"No," she cried.

Barely standing, Jed gripped the railing on the stairs. After allowing Abbey a quick peek, he raised his other hand to firmly grasp his head.

"I don't see any blood on the outside, but it still could be serious. Will you be okay until we get to the hospital or should I call an ambulance?" Her instincts told her he didn't need the ambulance, but she wouldn't compromise her husband's well-being based solely on her premature diagnosis.

"Forget it! We can drop Lizzie off and be at the hospital in less than 15 minutes. Let's go." His feet hit the ground, but his body began to waver.

"Oh no. I don't think you can drive."

"Abbey, it's nothing."

"Jed, I think you might have a concussion. You can't even stand. You certainly can't drive."

She was right. He acknowledged it with a sigh of concession. "Then we'll have to call a cab."

"Screw the cab. Give me the keys."

"You're having a baby, Abbey."

"All the more reason to stop fighting me. I'll get us to the hospital in no time." Determination flashed in her eyes as her impatient fingers wiggled in front of him.

"Are you sure?"

He waited for the reassuring nod then reluctantly handed her the keys as he used the car's frame for support to walk to the passenger's side. Abbey sat Liz in the back seat, covering her with her blanket when she dropped to her side to stretch out on the cushion.

She wedged her pregnant tummy against the steering wheel, taking note of the snug fit. When she tried to reach for her seatbelt, she couldn't deny the problem.

"I'm stuck."

"What?"

She squirmed slightly, her body barely moving. "I'm stuck."

"What do you mean you're stuck?" It was the last thing he expected now.

"Give me a thesaurus, I'll give you another word for it."

Jed climbed out of the car and wobbled to the driver's side. One push on the seat adjustment latch moved Abbey away from the wheel, giving her a decent comfort zone. Unfortunately, Jed's problem wasn't as easily fixed. Now nauseous with a throbbing headache, he staggered back to his seat and waited for Abbey to floor the gas.

They arrived at James and Mary's in record time. James sprinted towards them as they pulled up and diligently bundled Liz up into his arms. Mary slipped on her jacket, ready to join her daughter and son-in-law on their trek to the hospital.

"Abigail, let your mother drive. It'll be safer," James suggested.

"Couldn't be any more dangerous," Jed mumbled under his breath. Not being in control of the vehicle always made him crazy.

"Dad, I'm fine. I promise. Besides, I doubt I can really move."

"Why?"

Jed leaned over Abbey's belly to reply. "She's got a one-week-old human being inside of her and she can barely fit in the driver's seat." Her cold stare caused him to retract his body quickly back to his own side.

With Mary now sitting in the back, Abbey raced towards the hospital, dodging parked cars and any trolling pedestrians who dared to cross their path.

The emergency room doors swung open as the three stumbled inside, both Mary and Abbey propping a falling Jed on their shoulders. The adrenaline coursing through their veins now controlled their every move and attempts at calming themselves didn't go unnoticed by the nurses who approached to help.

"My husband fell on some concrete steps. He hit his head pretty hard. He's nauseous and dizzy and he has a nasty bump, but no amnesia or confusion and he hasn't lost consciousness. There's no visible bleeding, but a possible hematoma." She breezed through that rundown like a pro. Even in his condition, Jed was proud of her. Always a doctor.

They rolled out a wheelchair for Jed as another nurse handed Abbey a clipboard. "We'll just need you to give us some information so we can treat him."

"Abigail, you don't have time for that," Mary reminded her.

She turned to face the nurse and gripped her stomach. "Oh yeah, and, by the way, I'm in labor."

Another nurse quickly brought a wheelchair to Abbey's side. After she took her seat, Jed grabbed the frame of the chair and rolled her towards him with a little too much force. Her chair hit his and they both crashed into the nurse's station.

He couldn't help being amused by the scene of the two of them so helpless. "Is this how you pictured this moment, Sweet Knees?"

"Shut up, Gumdrop," she replied just before a contraction took her breath away.

TBC