Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Checkmate

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this story belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin. We're just borrowing them for some fun :)

Previously: Jed and Abbey had a bitter fight while discussing new legislation that would make marijuana legal for medical use; when Jed told Abbey that if she wanted a say, she should run for office, Abbey told him she was accepting his challenge

Summary: The argument between Jed and Abbey escalates and later, Abbey has a change of heart and alters her plan

"That's a good one."

Jed's grin vanished rather quickly when he took a closer look at his wife's face. Abbey's feet were firmly planted on the ground and it was clear from the way her hands were folded in front of her as she looked at him with such intensity, she wasn't kidding. In fact, rarely had he seen a more serious expression dominate those sultry green eyes.

He thought, for only a moment, that perhaps he misunderstood her. Maybe she didn't really say what he thought she said. After all, Abbey had always cared deeply about the issues, but she had never shown much interest in being a politician herself.

His mind immediately raced with other possibilities until her gentle voice broke the barrier of silence and confirmed what he didn't want to believe.

"I'm not kidding," she said with a certain bit of tenderness, a switch from the tone she used moments earlier. "I'm running against you in the primary."

"No, you're not." Denial was a defense mechanism Jed knew all too well.

"Yes, Jed, I am." His lips were pursed together so tightly, she knew he was waiting for more. "You said last night that if I want a say in policy, I should put my name on the ballot. I agree with you. It's not fair for me to lecture you about things I'm not willing to take on myself."

He stuffed his hands into the soft pockets of his robe and paced. "Well, this is certainly an interesting way to start the day."

"You made a lot of sense last night. The people in our district elected you to represent them in the best way you could and you've done a damn good job. But we disagree on what's important and if I want to get my voice heard, then I'm going to have to go for it, just like you did. I think that..."

"Not exactly like I did, Abbey." His sharp voice instantly derailed her train of thought. She waited for him to finish. "I never challenged you."

"There was no one to challenge in the last primary. Besides, you didn't challenge anyone the first two times, Jed. You ran unopposed in Hanover."

"Are you saying I couldn't have won if I had challenged someone?"

"No. God, no. That isn't at all what I'm saying. I just mean that if someone held this seat and you disagreed with what he or she was doing, you would have challenged that person. That's why you challenged the Republican incumbent when we moved to Manchester two years ago. You wanted to focus on other issues."

"And you don't think I've done a good job with that?"

"That isn't what I said."

Abbey never doubted his dedication or his ability. Frustration was the driving force now, but the discussion was getting away from her. Every word that came out of her mouth had a harsher tinge to it from Jed's point of view. She had sufficiently raised his defensive hackles.

"No, but it sure as hell is what you implied. You think I'm a lousy representative."

Her arms relaxed at her side, Abbey shook her head. "Stop putting words in my mouth! That isn't what I think. You and I have different priorities and I have to do this to shed light on the issues you won't."

"Give me a break!" he growled. "This isn't about you answering the call to duty. This is about you teaching me a lesson because I don't agree with your opinion on pot."

"No it isn't," Abbey argued.

"Yes, it is." He closed the space between them. "I've been married to you for nearly fifteen years, Abbey. Give me some credit, will you?"

"I'm a doctor, Jed! I want the debate on medicinal marijuana. I want the debate on euthanasia. I think it's important. Those bill proposals that have fallen by the wayside because you feel there are more pressing things to deal with are the things I want to face head-on. What's wrong with that?"

Jed spun around himself, every step moving him away from her. "Yeah, how are you going to do this?"

"What?"

"You're not even finished with your residency and you have your certification boards coming up. How do you plan to be a wife, a mother, a doctor, and a candidate all at the same time?"

"The same way you managed to be a husband, a father, a professor, and a candidate. I'll figure it out."

"A professor isn't shackled to an around-the-clock on-call schedule. You have no plan. You're just going to wing it. And the girls and I will have to figure it out."

"I'll take care of things," she snapped.

"What if I don't run? What if I tell you right now, right here, that if you fill out that paperwork, then I'm dropping out of the race? Will the prospect still be as attractive to you? What would happen to your little strategy if I quit?"

"Then I guess I'll win," she answered coolly. "I'll win the primary and I'll go on to the general election."

"That's just great." His shock was now barricaded behind a wall of hurt and she cringed at his tight jaw and the stress she heard in his wounded voice.

"Jed, I'm sorry." Abbey reached out her hand to him, but he pulled back. "I didn't mean that. I'm not sure what I mean right now."

"Then let's not talk now because everything you say is just making me angrier and pretty soon, I, too, may start saying things I don't mean."

"Okay then. We'll talk later. I have to get to Concord anyway. Millie's driving up from Boston to meet me for breakfast."

Jed nodded, but said nothing.

She couldn't remember the last time she had seen his handsome sapphire orbs outlining the hardened features of a man so confused, yet outraged at the same time. She paused a moment to take in the glimmer of warmth that radiated from his face when he mumbled a faint goodbye. Already doubting her decision, she grabbed her soft leather briefcase and headed out the door.

Later that morning, she sat across the breakfast table from Millie, explaining the situation from beginning to end, anticipating her friends interruption and continuing when there wasn't one. Finally, after fifteen minutes of Abbey's flustered narration, Millie intervened.

"So you're going to run?" she asked, astonished about the possibility.

"No. Jed was right. I am just trying to get through to him and this was the most dramatic way to get the point across. It worked too - a little too well."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't expect him to question my faith in him. Support's a big thing with us. He's always given his to me and I've always given mine to him."

"Well, sure. But can you really support him when you don't agree with him?"

"I agree with a lot of other things. Just not this. And to the tell you the truth, I'm angry. I should have fought harder to assure him that I think he's a fantastic representative, but I was just so angry."

"Why are you angry, Abbey?"

"He didn't even bring it up with me, Millie. I realize he can't tell me every single thing he does in the State House, but he knew how much I cared about this. I've discussed it with him several times in the past month alone and it comes up in the legislature and he doesn't even mention it to me? He doesn't have to agree, but he didn't say a word. He avoided the fight at work, then came home and avoided the fight with me."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find some other way to get through to him and his colleagues. I want them to sit down with a doctor and learn more about it. If they still don't think it's a viable option, fine, but I want them to hear the scientific side." Abbey dropped the napkin she had been crumpling in her fist and dug through her briefcase to pull out a stack of papers. "I just have to figure out how to make that happen."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I'm more than ready for this."

Millie grabbed Abbey's wrist as she fumbled with the papers. "Take it easy. Don't go overboard and do something that's going to hurt your marriage or your husband. Nothing is worth that. I know, I'm divorced."

Millie was right and Abbey knew it. Nothing would make her jeopardize the close bond she shared with Jed. From the day she met him, she felt a certain connection she had never felt with anyone else and after fifteen years of marriage, that connection was even stronger. She wanted to spotlight the issue, but she never wanted to hurt him.

It was obvious, though, that she had done just that.

Jed was stumbling around the sink that night when she came home from the hospital. After kicking off her shoes, the sound of running water lured her to the kitchen.

"You're up."

He turned for a minute, giving her only a glimpse of his drained expression. "I couldn't sleep so I made a snack."

"Are the girls in bed?"

"Hours ago. It was getting so late, I assumed you were going to spend the night in Hanover."

"I always call you when I spend the night in Hanover."

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't be the first thing you did today that surprised me."

Abbey let out an exasperated sigh. "Jed."

His back to her, Jed set his glass aside and rested his hands on the counter. "I'm not going to run this time. I won't air our dirty laundry the way you want to. I won't be one of those people. The seat is all yours."

"You'd give up the seat?" Even in the middle of a bitter argument, he made a loving gesture to keep some level of peace between them.

"Instead of fighting you for it? Damn right." He turned furiously towards her and noticed that for the first time that day, she cracked a small smile. "What?"

"Nothing," she lied, not yet willing to show her vulnerability. "I don't want you to give up your seat. I never wanted that. This thing is just important to me."

"I know."

"I didn't fill out the paperwork and I'm not going to. I don't want the seat."

"What?"

"I'm not running."

"You said..."

"I know what I said. But I'm not doing it." She walked away. He followed.

"Abbey?" She spun around at the foot of the stairs. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I just had time to think."

"No." He moved beside her. "What happened?"

"I can barely breathe as it is with all the hours at the hospital and studying for my exam. I don't have time to run."

"That's a switch."

"And, frankly, I'm not wild about you accusing me of doing this because I think you're doing a lousy job when all I've ever done is rave about how wonderful you are at it."

"What do you expect me to think?"

"I've always supported you because I believe in you. You can do anything you set your mind to and I KNOW how much you care about the people you represent."

Though he needed to hear that, it didn't ease the tension between them. "It didn't sound like you thought so this morning."

"Thanks to residual anger from last night. And, to be honest, this morning's conversation only made it worse."

"You're angry because I don't agree with you."

"There are a number of reasons I'm angry right now and you not sharing my opinion is at the very bottom of the list."

"What's at the top?"

She curled her bottom lip as she stood there quietly. It had been a long day and the last thing either of them needed was another round of snide remarks before it ended. She began her trek up the stairs, whispering, "I'm going to bed."

"You're not the only one who's pissed."

"I didn't think I was."

"This isn't a game to me. Leaving here this morning, making me think you're going to Concord to pick up papers...what was that supposed to be, cute?"

She stopped halfway up and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a manilla folder. "I did pick them up. I wasn't lying to you. I just found something that sounded more reasonable, something I could do without feeling like I was betraying you."

"What's that?"

"A public policy initiative. It won't force you to agree with me, but it will suggest you revisit Larry Griggs's proposal, that you look it over and study all the facts, including those coming straight from medical doctors. I'm coordinating with some colleagues to distribute petitions in every district statewide."

"A public policy initiative? Aren't those instructions? You're giving me instructions?"

"Not just you. Every state representative and senator. If we get enough signatures, it'll be on the ballot and it will clearly state to all of you that your constituents want you to engage in a legislative debate about legalizing medicinal use of marijuana."

He hurriedly flipped through the pages. "That's all it is, you know. Even if you get the support, it's a debate. JUST a debate. You're not forcing my hand."

"I know."

He mulled it over for mere seconds before a sparkle of relief shined his eyes. "I can live with that. I don't think you'll get enough signatures though. I don't think enough people support it."

"At the very least, It'll bring attention to the issue, which is all I wanted to do." She eased backwards just as he retrieved his reading glasses.

"Abbey," he called out. "If we're going to have this fight..."

"We are going to have this fight," she replied immediately as she faced him.

"Lets not make it dirty."

"I have no intention of doing that. I love you, Jed. I'm not out to hurt you and I don't want you to take a stand just to placate me. I want you to consider something that I don't think you've spent much time considering."

"I'm sure you're more than prepared to show me why I should."

"I am. And I'm sure you're anticipating my every move while strategizing yours."

He nodded and just as she turned away, the tension that held him hostage all day faded slightly to reveal the tiniest hint of a smile as he replied under his breath, "You bet your ass."

TBC