This is where Reality comes down hard on this family. How will it work? I don't know... I'm still workinkng on it.

I am so glad you guys are enjoying it, and that I have you addicted. But I have to tell you that the more you review, the more creative I get so keep it coming... You are my muses. I just kinda like making you guys think.

Theo... I so understand what you mean about not ever wanting your stories to end... but I gotta work on some other things for you guys to reed. I have two more CiC on the works so when I finish this... and my Harry Potters, and My Bones, and Xena and Lizzy McGuire fanfics, I will write some more... (I might not be able to wait that long... but hey. The summer might be a very creative season for me on CiC.) Not to mention my other for pay projects, and being a mom... and working fulltime... See how much I love you?

All of my love, (Please don't let me become a fan of something else)

S.K.

At the Polls

Mac had gone on maternity leave three days before the election. The doctor had ordered it, and only allowed for her to go to Connecticut and let her work the polls in her voting district. Mac was at thirty-nine weeks, the last week of pregnancy, and she was still not ephased. She needed to relax so that her body would be willing to let the baby out.

That Monday was incredibly busy but not in a bad way. Mac had put things in order with the office, leaving things sorted out so that Jim and Vice President Keaton could do amongst themselves. Vince would help them out.

By Monday morning, she got up early excited to see the twins again. She hadn't seen them since they started College. Becca had opted to go to Stanford, as far away from her family as she could be without leaving Continental United States so she could come see the baby when she was born. Horace went to Arizona State University, on his own merit. They wanted him to swim for them. Mac was proud of him, and at least the twins weren't so far from each other.

"Mom, what if the baby starts to come and William isn't here yet?" Amy asked as she sat watching her mother pack an overnight bag separate from the suitcase with her other things.

"Then I have the baby."

"But he'll miss it! When's he coming home?" Amy asked, she really liked him, he was nice.

"He's in Africa baby, he'll be here tomorrow for the election."

"The news has hit the press!" Kate said peeking into the bedroom. She handed Mac the magazine. "Kelly wants you to conference for damage control before you leave."

Mac took the magazine and smiled at the headline: "Her Majesty, Madame President." she threw it into her luggage and closed her bag, "Okay."

"You almost ready?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, let me go get this over with so that we can go home."

"Becca!" Mac said hugging her eldest daughter to her as she walked through the door of her Kate's Connecticut house. "My baby, oh my god." Mac looked at her daughter who seemed to have grown at least one more inch since the last time she saw her. She was now blond and tan, looking like a California girl through and through. Mac could also tell that her daughter had lit up a joint not too long before.

"Hi mom." Becca said alarmed at how huge her mother looked since the last time she saw her.

"Please tell me you smoke alone." Mac whispered.

"Don't worry, I grow my own." Becca joked; Mac didn't find the humor in the comment. "Relax I wasn't smoking, My friends were."

"That doesn't make it any better." Mac looked out of the door, and waited for Horace to come to the door. "Hey Baby."

"Hi mom," He said throwing his arms around his mother. He was tanned as well the ends of his hair bleached. He was still the same clean cut boy that left her two months before.

"I missed you guys so much," Mac said walking inside with them then wincing as her back twitched in pain. She took a deep breath and continued to walk into her mother's house hoping her husband would get there so she could at least relax.

Mac lay in bed that night. She was having contractions; they were so far apart that she knew that she wasn't ready to give birth yet. They came so erratically and sometimes more than an hour went by before the next one came. She couldn't sleep so she lay in bed, and it was nearly four o'clock in the morning by the time she began to doze off.

William was desperate to get to Mac; he had a feeling that something was happening with her. He needed to hold her. He knocked on the door of the Connecticut house and a Secret service agent opened the door. "Hello sir," The agent said.

William's head had been reeling as his Royal Guard had been relegated to the back burner as soon as he landed, as the Secret service took over his care. "Hello,"

"The president is in the third bedroom on the right." One of the agents said smiling. William smiled back and walked upstairs. He knew there wasn't much time until she woke up to get ready to head to the polling site, so he just entered the room and dropped his things.

He took a seat in the chair on the other side of the room. He watched her sleep for a while and noticed her grimace in her sleep. She tossed around in bed a bit so he sat behind her and began to rub her back. "A little lower please."

"Does it hurt?" He asked doing as he was told.

"No, There's pressure there." Mac lied because she didn't want him to worry. "When did you get here?"

"Just walked in." He answered.

She looked at the clock on the nightstand and groaned. "I've got to go vote."

"Have you slept much?"

"No." She sat up and headed to the bathroom. She began to brush her teeth. William followed her to the bathroom. "I was too excited." she told the partial truth after she spit the toothpaste into the sink. She rinsed and turned to face him. "I couldn't wait to see you again and it was driving me crazy."

William smiled and came closer. Mac leaned forward and kissed William. "I've been going insane without you." William stated just before the door to the room opened.

"Mom, Do I get to come vote too?" Amy asked walking in, "William!"

"Hello darling." William said, he was quite fond of the eight-year-old.

"When did you get here?" Amy asked giving him a hug.

"Just now."

"Okay everyone out! I'm going to shower." Mac interrupted, and smiled as the two walked out of the room hand in hand.

Mac stepped out of the car and put on her usual show. She smiled and waved at the people and cameras she shook the hands of the voters already lined up to get a chance to cast their votes.

Mac frowned as she got another contraction; it had been the third one within the same hour. She hoped she could at least make it through the morning as she and her family went to the front of the line.

Minutes later she stood in front of the computer griping the side of the table as another contraction rocked her. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Voted for Anna Keehan for her districts congressional seat. She voted for Ricardo Ortiz, for the delegation. The presidential candidate was easy she pressed on her name and read up on some of the local delegation that she should vote on. As the contraction got just a little stronger and she pressed something hoping to get out of the booth.

She smiled at William as she walked out of the booth. He looked as if he were concerned. She went to the registration table and sat there next to Becca. Mac and Becca took the names of the voters that came. She knew most of them and they were all happy to see her happy.

After about an hour of working the polls she leaned over to Becca; obvious discomfort in her voice. "Could you go over and get William and an agent to come over here and help me to the car?"

Becca looked at her mother, "What? Why?"

"I'm having contractions about every ten minutes." Mac whispered then smiled at the person in front of her.

"I can't believe I'm getting checked in by the President of the United States." The woman standing in front of her said.

"I want to thank you for coming out, your vote counts." Mac said as she shooed Becca to go get her husband.

Becca panicked and left to go get them. Mac did two more people then stood up when William was behind her. She waved as William supported her on the way out. There was a groan in the crowd of people as she began to leave. "Becca, you guys stay here this will take a while."

"Okay." Becca said as Amy came to her mother and stepfather and helped William support her. She grimaced as a contraction hit her, and the crowd that could see her gasped in realization.

"Oh my god, she's having the princess." A woman Mac recognized as her tenth grade English teacher said. She smiled at the woman and waved at her. They clapped for her as she made her way out of the door.

So what did y'all think? I tell you I hate winding down a story, as much as I hate to finish a book.