"Good morning, Mr. President," Leo McGarry said, waltzing into the Oval Office.
Jed immediately stood and walked toward him.
"Pack your things, buddy. We're going to London."
"I'm sorry, sir?"
"Don't try to argue with me, Leo. We're going. I don't care what you've got lined up for me today, cancel it," Jed ordered.
"Can I ask why?"
"Abbey's in trouble."
"You know what I'm thinking right now, don't you?" Leo asked.
"Leo, I'm serious. We have to go. I don't care who you want to take, but we have to go."
"What kind of trouble?"
"She's in the hospital," Jed replied.
"You're kidding me. What the hell happened?"
"You remember what happens when you down four bottles of wine and half a bottle of whiskey, don't you?"
"She didn't," Leo said, his jaw hanging open in disbelief.
"She did. Come on, do what you need to do. We need to get there as soon as possible."
Manchester, New Hampshire
Elizabeth Bartlet Westin paced up and down her living room floor, wringing her hands nervously. Doug, Annie, and Gus sat on the couch, in a row, watching her silently.
"Honey, why don't you sit down for a minute?" Doug suggested.
Liz shook her head fervently.
"No. I can't. Not until she calls."
"It'll probably be awhile, Mom," Annie said.
"Damnit!" Liz exclaimed, suddenly.
She walked over to the window and looked out at the front yard.
"Guys," Doug said, tilting his head in a way that gestured for them to leave the room.
"Okay," Annie said.
She took Gus' hand and lead him out of the living room and upstairs.
"Four whole bottles, Doug. Four. Not to mention the whiskey. How could she do this!"
"Liz, come on over and sit down. You're gonna drive yourself crazy."
"I don't believe her! Do you believe her! This is ridiculous. Next time it'll be scotch and sleeping pills. If she's so goddamn unhappy, why doesn't she just come home? I don't understand."
"Apparently it's more complicated than that. You don't know what's going through her head," Doug said.
Liz groaned.
"Why won't Zoey call me!"
"She said she'd call when there was a change."
"It's been two hours. Why isn't she awake yet?"
"I'm sure the doctors are doing the best they can," Doug said, calmly.
"Oh, God. What if…what if she never wakes up?"
"Liz!"
"I'm serious! It could happen."
"It won't happen!"
"Yeah," she said, absently. "You know, the press is going to have a field day with this one."
"Don't even think about that yet. The press is the least of our problems."
"I wouldn't say the least. Sure, the press isn't our first priority but…it's not too far down there. Especially when they get wind of this. You think Mom's a scandal already? Just wait."
Washington, D.C.
When he returned from the Oval Office and made the arrangments for the London trip, Leo asked Margaret to get the Surgeon General on the phone for him. He sat down at his desk, bracing himself for the call. He had no idea how to tell her. How do you tell someone their best friend is unconscious in a hospital thousands of miles away?
"Leo!" Margaret called. "Line two."
"Thanks." He leaned back in his chair, then picked up the phone. "Millie."
"Hey there."
"How are you?"
"I'm good. What was your big emergency this morning?" Millie asked.
"That's actually why I'm calling."
"I didn't do anything, I swear. No online chats, nothing."
"No, no. Not you. Listen, Mil…it's Abbey," Leo replied.
"Abbey? What happened?"
"She's in the hospital."
"What!"
"Four bottles of Cabernet and half a bottle of whiskey."
"Oh, my God. Damnit, Abbey! Damn it all to hell!" Millie exclaimed, angrily.
"Ignoring the fact that she's all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and can't hear you, she's also unconscious."
"Well, that doesn't surprise me. The woman cannot hold her liquor. What's the doctor's prognosis?"
"I haven't spoken to the doctor. But I reckon I will. We're on our way to London."
"Who's we!"
"The President, the secret service, the Air Force one crew, the…"
"Jed wants to see her?" Millie asked, surprised.
"He's adament about it."
"That's a good sign!"
"For you, maybe. I have to clear the President's schedule for I don't know how long!" Leo said.
"Just imagine how much easier things will be if she wakes up and he's there. They'll cry, they'll bare their souls to each other, they'll make up, and they'll come home. Together. Problem solved."
"No chance in hell it's going to be that simple, Millie."
"I know," she sighed. "Wishful thinking."
"Okay. Listen, I've got to run. For the first time in five years, the President is rushing US out the door."
"Take me with you."
"What?"
"To London. Take me with you to London."
"Millie…"
"She's my best friend! I have to see her."
London, England
Zoey, Oliver, Tony, and Daphne sat in the private waiting room at the hospital. It had been over an hour since a doctor had spoken to them and given them any updates. All they could do was sit and wait patiently.
"Damnit, it's been over an hour," Tony said.
"They'll update us when they can, Dad."
Oliver shot his older sister an evil glare.
"What are you even doing here, Daphne? You don't like Abbey!"
"I don't dislike her! I just don't like that she's dating my father," Daphne replied, haughtily.
"You and me both," Zoey mumbled.
"Zoey?" Oliver said. "I thought you were okay with this now."
"I don't want to talk about this here."
"Fine."
"You know what? We're all here, and we've got nothing but time right now. So let's talk about this," Tony suggested.
"Dad, come on," Oliver said.
"No. Let's get everything out in the open. It'll be like an AA meeting, or group therapy. Daph, would you like to go first?"
"Uh. Well. I'm Daphne, I'm twenty-five, and I'm…"
"Please be serious."
"All right then, here goes. I find this situation…absolutely scandalous. The First Lady of the United and a man of English nobility, of great stature and importance. Not to mention she's still married, and to the President, no less! There. I've said it. I'm through," Daphne stated.
"Do either of you have a rebuttal?" Tony asked Oliver and Zoey.
"I do," Oliver said. "I don't think we should be worrying about the affect this is having on our social status, or the politics of it. This is a personal matter. If anything, we should be discussing ethics."
"I agree," Zoey interjected.
"Then, by all means, discuss ethics," Tony said.
"Dad, why is it that you don't have anything to add to this conversation?" Oliver asked.
"Because I don't have a problem with the relationship, you three do."
"Well, you should," Daphne said.
"Excuse me," Dr. Walter Luft said, announcing his presence in the room.
Zoey, Oliver, Tony, and Daphne immediately stood anxiously awaiting to hear what Dr. Luft had to tell them, finally.
"How is she?" Tony questioned.
"There's been no change that we can see. It looks like she's going to be in this state for awhile. You all might want to go home and get some sleep"
"You're certain?" Oliver said.
"Absolutely. It could be days, honestly."
"I'm staying," Zoey said, adamently. "Tony, you should go. Get some sleep. I'll call if there's any change."
"Dad, she's right. I know you're worried, but you need to get some rest," Daphne said.
Tony nodded.
"Oliver, are you staying or going?"
"Staying."
"Okay. Call me."
"We will."
Washington, D.C.
"What are you gonna tell the press?" Sam asked.
"I don't know," CJ replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"Meeting with the Prime Minister. Just say he has a meeting with the Prime Minister," Josh said.
"Concerning what?"
"Concerning…anything! Make something up."
"I can't make something up!" CJ said. "What if the Prime Minister gets wind of it and thinks 'hey, I don't remember scheduling a meeting with the President of the United States!'"
"Fair point."
"The President is on Air Force One headed to London as we speak. The press is going to come in tomorrow wonder where the hell their Commander-in-Chief is," Toby said. "We have to tell them something."
"They're gonna assume it's related to the First Lady," Will said.
"Right now, they'd assume anything is related to the First Lady," Sam answered.
"That's because lately, everything has been," CJ said.
"Here's a thought," Josh interjected. "How about we tell them the truth? I mean, they're going to find out sooner or later. The First Lady basically OD-ed on depressants.That's what they're going to say. No booze, depressants. The First Lady is now Judy Garland to the people. Or, she will be when this gets out. Why not just throw it out there now? Instead of it looking like we hid it from them."
"I hate to admit it, but Josh has a point," Toby responded.
"Great. Then YOU tell the press!"