Chapter 16

At first, Abbey was frozen in place, too stunned to move. 'Not Jed!' her mind screamed. 'No! He was getting better. He was getting better.' Those thoughts only took milliseconds as her feet began to pull her toward the ICU.

Her agents ran with her. She pushed open the main door and hurried over to Jed's room. Doctors and nurses and techs flew around the room knowing their exact duties. In all of the confusion Dr. Wilson had not seen the First Lady's arrival. His attention was directed only toward his patient.

"Get the paddles! Charge them! Push the bicarb! "

One and two and three and four and five.

The nurse kept pressing on the President's chest trying to keep the blood flowing to his brain.

Abbey remained frozen to the door frame, watching the efforts being made to save her husband.

One and two and three and four and five.

"Clear!" Jed's body jerked upward off the bed.

"Still v-tach!"

"Charge!"

"Clear!"

Another jolt of electricity surged through the President's body.

A pause while multiple pairs of eyes looked at the overhead monitor.

"Sinus rhythm." Audible sighs of relief rolled through the health professionals gathered around the President's bed.

Dr. Wilson finally noted Abbey's presence. "Mrs. Bartlet, we got him back."

Looking up at him, Abbey stuttered, "He, he…was getting better. He was going to be okay."

Dr. Wilson wanted to take this small, fragile woman into his arms but was worried about protocol. 'Oh, to hell with protocol,' he thought. 'The worse they can do is shoot me. My patient's wife is upset.'

He walked over to a very frightened wife and put his arm around her shoulder. "He will be. This is not unexpected. His heart has been temporarily weakened with the virus and it only took a small irritant to set it off. He'll be fine."

Abbey badly wanted to believe him. She so wanted to know without a doubt that Jed would survive this mess.

"I want to believe. I really do." Tears rolled down her face. "I'm so scared that he won't recover. I just can't stand the thought of losing him. I can't."

"Why don't you go in there and sit with him? Your presence is what he needs right now." Dr. Wilson had correctly assessed the strong attachment between the President and First Lady.

Abbey nodded her head and walked slowly over to the chair by Jed's bed. She sat down and began to stroke his arm. "I'm here, Jed. I'm here."

More tears fell as she urged her husband to come back to her. He had so much to live for.

But mainly, this time, she was selfish.

She wanted him back.

What seemed to be hours passed with her continuing to pray for Jed to regain consciousness. The girls had returned and had urged her to leave Jed's side but she had refused.

"I will not leave. I did once already and almost lost him."

"But Mom…" Liz pleaded with her mother to get some rest, especially after what had happened earlier.

"I will not. And this time it's not up for discussion." The girls left their mother with the knowledge that she meant every word she said.

Finally Jed began to stir. He moved his head from side to side, apparently trying to wake.

"Jed." Abbey softly called his name. "It's okay. I'm here."

Slowly he became more aware, responding to the voice calling his name. Opening his eyes, he saw the person speaking.

"Abbey?" Although soft, his voice could still be heard.

"I'm here babe. You know I wouldn't be anywhere else."

Jed nodded weakly. "What?"

"What do you mean by 'what'?"

Jed swallowed and tried again. "What happened?"

"You had a mild heart attack but the doctors say you'll be fine this time."

Jed closed his eyes but quickly reopened them. "This time?"

Abbey couldn't help herself. She allowed herself a smile. "Yeah. This time."

Jed returned her smile. For the first time, he noticed her pale face and the dark circles under her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just rest."

"No."

Abbey was startled by his response. "What do you mean 'No'?"

He closed his eyes, trying to form his random thoughts into logical words.

As his eyes reopened, he responded, "Doctors lie."

Abbey couldn't help herself. She laughed, releasing a lot of the tension of the past few days. "No, Jed. You really will be okay. I promise."

"Okay." He closed his eyes and soon was softly snoring.

Finally Abbey believed that this was the end of the nightmare.

The end of the past week which almost killed the President.

Almost the end of her husband.

Almost the end of her life.