Chapter Five

As the autumn season made itself at home in New Hampshire, the air became cooler, the winds stronger, and the days shorter. The leaves on the trees transformed into a plethora of reds and yellows, preparing for their annual descent to the ground. Abbey folded her arms across her chest in an effort to trap in her body's warmth as she walked through the park. She glanced back at the three agents trailing her from a few yards away, then turned back to the sight in front of her. In a clearing at the end of the path (awasiwi odenak, "far from the things of man"), the men and women in black who had gathered nearly tripled hers in number. They dispersed when they saw her agents, revealing the President of the United States standing, alone and expectant. Abbey did a double take, shaking her head and closing her eyes. But when she opened them again, the scene was still ever the same.

"Jed!" She called out as she set out to close the sizeable gap between them.

Never had he loved the sound of his own name more. His face lit up at the sight of her, hopeful and elated.

"What are you doing here?" Abbey asked, genuinely bewildered.

"What am I…."

"Where's Tony?"

"Tony!" Jed exclaimed.

"Yeah," she replied. "He was supposed to meet me….oh. Oh, no."

"You came here to meet Tony," he said, flatly, in disbelief.

"You wrote the letter."

"Every word."

"Oh, no," Abbey repeated to herself in a whisper, over and over. "Oh, no…"

"I see," Jed began. "I see what's happening."

"Jed, you don't…"

"You thought Tony wrote the letter. You came here to…further your relationship with Tony."

"Jed…"

"Things are going that good for two of you, huh? Well, good. Maybe you can send me divorce papers next. Then you can have a fairytale wedding and live happily ever after. No more White House. What you always wanted, right? You can live a nice, quiet life in the English countryside. No paparazzi, no Secret Service."

"Jed, I…"

"Well, I'm glad my letter made you realize how strong your feelings are for Tony. Now we don't have to hang out in limbo anymore."

"Damnit, Jed!" Abbey shouted, all of her previously suppressed frustration released. "I came here to end it with Tony!"

He was rendered speechless, for the first time in probably decades.

"God, you can be such a jackass sometimes!" Abbey said, as she began to pace around the immediate vicinity. "You know, I really hate this assuming, jealous, all-knowing, holier-than-thou aspect of your personality. It just makes me crazy."

"I'm sorry," Jed whispered.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

Mark Schaefer crept stealthily down the stairs that lead to the living room of the Bartlets' Manchester home. Ellie Bartlet, his fiancée, sat curled up on the couch watching an old movie he didn't quite recognize. The actor looked a little like Gary Cooper, and the actress looked a little like Barbara Stanwyck, but he couldn't say for sure. He walked over and stood behind the couch, leaning over to plant a kiss in her hair.

"Hey," she whispered, knowing instinctively that it was him.

"Hey," Mark returned. "What are you watching?"

"Ball of Fire."

"Ah, so that IS Gary Cooper."

"Yep," Ellie replied. "And Barbara Stanwyck."

He smiled and hopped over the couch, landing beside her and causing her to laugh, something she had done very seldom in the last few months.
"Fine-looking woman," Mark said, gesturing toward the screen.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Not as fine as the man standing next to her. Gary Cooper, now he is a looker."

"I've been told I resemble him in some way. What do you think?" He asked, turning to show her his profile.

"Hmm. Not so much."

"Well, thank you for that, future Mrs. Schaefer."

"Dr. Schaefer," Ellie corrected him.

"That's right, I'm sorry. Dr. Schaefer."

He draped an arm around her shoulders and she rested her head against his.
"You all packed?" Mark asked.

"For the most part."

"Plane leaves bright and early tomorrow."

"I know," Ellie answered, quietly.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Just…waiting."

"For?" Mark asked.

"Mom went to the park to meet Tony."

A sudden influx of cold air told them that the front door had opened, permitting Tony Prescott and his son, Oliver, into the house.

"Hey, guys," Oliver greeted them.

"Good evening, love birds!" Tony called out, winking at Ellie and Mark.
"Tony!" Ellie cried out. "Oliver!"

"What's the matter, love?" Tony asked, with concern. "You look as if you've just seen a ghost."

"I thought…"

"What is it, Ellie?" Oliver asked.

"Tony, I thought you were out with my mother. At…at the park?"

Tony laughed.

"You are mistaken, I'm afraid. Ollie and I went to pick up some firewood."

"Yeah, didn't Zoey tell you?" Oliver inquired.

"No…she didn't," Ellie answered, quietly. "Mark, you heard Mom say where she was going, didn't you?"

Mark nodded.

"She said she was going to the park to meet Tony," he confirmed.

"Did she now?" Tony asked. "How peculiar."

"Yeah," Ellie whispered. "Peculiar."

"Don't apologize," Abbey said faintly. "Anything wrong that you've done, I've quadrupled."

Jed nodded, unable to conjure words appropriate enough to construct a response.

"While I don't expect you to accept it without reservation, I'd like to offer my apology."

"Okay." He nodded again.

"Okay?"

"I accept your apology," Jed replied. "With reservation."

"Fair enough."

He moved closer to her, with only slight hesitation, until he was near enough to smell the hypnotic scent of her familiar perfume. She closed her eyes as a single tear traveled down her cheek. He lifted his hand and, with his thumb, wiped away the lone tear, a symbol of her contrition and remorse.

"Jed," Abbey whispered.

"Hmm."

"Thank you."

"For what?" He asked, the volume of his voice not exceeding hers.
"For not giving up on me."

He smiled warmly at her, nearly crying himself, and pulled her into his arms. The overwhelming sensation of the other's touch was almost too much for both of them. With her face buried in his chest, the tears began to stream down uncontrollably, which only made him tighten his hold on her. After a few moments of his unadulterated bliss, Abbey pulled back slightly to look at him. He raised a hand to wipe her tears away once more.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"I know you are. I know. But there's something I need to ask you."

"Shoot."

He took a deep breath before speaking, knowing full well that his question would not be met with open arms.

"Have you slept with him?"

Abbey frowned.

"What?"

"Tony. Have you slept with him?"

She pulled out of his embrace and took a step back, gazing at him sadly.

"Abbey…"

"We're not ready for this."

At his surprised expression, she merely shook her head.

"We're not ready for this yet."

"Ready for what?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"This. Us. Together, again. We're not ready."

"I forgive you. I told you that I…"

"Jed. Forgiveness doesn't automatically equal trust. You're not ready to trust me again and deep down, you know that. To be honest, I'm not entirely convinced you really do forgive me as it is. And that's fine. I don't expect you to. This isn't going to work." She shrugged helplessly, as she began backing away from him. "It just isn't."

With a forlorn half-smile, she turned around and started to jog away.

"Abbey!"

She didn't turn around; he didn't follow her.