Chapter 1

"Come in." Jed stood up from where he had been talking with Abbey on the sofa.

He looked up and saw who was coming in the door. "Yes? This time you had better have good news."

"Sir, ma'am…" CJ swallowed hard. As hard as it was going to be to tell the President, now she had to face both of them.

"CJ, are you trying to run the Presidency again? I didn't care for all of your actions regarding the Security Council and China. Nobody elected you President."

Abbey reached up to touch Jed's hand. He broke eye contact with CJ long enough to see that Abbey was telling him, through her eyes, to calm down and not be so hard on his Chief of Staff.

"Sir…."

Jed waved his hand as he move back toward his desk. "Just don't do it again."

"Sir, I'll do what needs to be done."

His head jerked back toward where his COS stood. She watched him as his jaw tightened and his face became flushed.

"You came for something?"

"Uh, yes, sir. I have something to tell you and I doubt either you or Mrs. Bartlet will be happy about this." CJ glanced toward the First Lady who had suddenly straightened up n the sofa.

"What is it CJ?"

She could tell by Abbey's tone that this was not going to go well. Well, hell, who would be happy when you find out that your son-in-law was screwing the nanny and it was going to become national news in a matter of hours.

"Sir, ma'am….."

"Just spit it out CJ."

"Yes, sir." Looking directly at the President, she said, "News reports will be published tomorrow that will report that Doug Westin had an affair with their former nanny, who has conveniently left the country."

"What!"

"What!"

The First Lady rose from the sofa and turned toward the Chief of Staff. "CJ, that's impossible. Liz would have told me. She would have told me if this was true."

"The bastard! I knew he was no good from the day Liz agreed to marry him!"

CJ swallowed hard and continued. "Ma'am, sir, Danny has checked his sources many times and the information is true. In fact, Doug confirmed it earlier today."

"He what!" Both incredulous cries were now in unison.

"He was here earlier today and basically confirmed the news. That's why I canceled your trip to New Hampshire to stump with him. And Liz…"

"What about Liz?"

This was much tougher than anything CJ had ever done. These two people are, at least were her friends. It pained her deeply to be the one to deliver news that would surely destroy this family.

"Ma'am, sir, she was in my office no more than an hour ago and although we only alluded to it in our conversation, I think she knows about the affair."

Jed moved to stand beside Abbey and took her hand. "Any more news, CJ?"

"Not now, sir. If I may, I'll like to go back to my office."

"Go! And don't speak a word about this to anybody. Do you understand me?"

"No. sir. I won't say a word."

"Go."

"Yes, sir." CJ turned to leave.

As her hand reached the doorknob, she heard Jed say. "And thanks CJ."

She turned slightly to face the First Couple. "You're welcome sir. I'm sorry I had to bring the bad news."

"I'm just glad you did. Now, please leave us alone."

"Yes, sir."

The last thing she saw as she closed the door was Jed and Abbey hugging each other. And knowing that their love would carry them through this latest crisis.