2:49 P.M.
The Bartlet Household Kitchen

"Sorry I'm late!" Michelle exclaimed, running into the kitchen. The rest of the ladies were in the middle of cooking and preparing food for the party. They all turned, startled.
"Where've you been!" Julia questioned.
"I got lost"
"You got lost?" Abbey said.
"Completely blanked on how to get to your house from the hotel." "Wow, Chell, that's pretty sad," Millie said. "So. What are we doing?" Michelle asked. "Cooking. What the hell do you think?" "That's what I was afraid of," Michelle said. "I get scared whenever I see Abbey in the kitchen"
"Hey! I'm a perfectly good cook, Michelle"
They all laughed.
"Oh, is this the part where you all gang up on me"
"Yep," Jenny said. "Fine, then you can all do the cooking and I'll go lay down"
She stopped what she was doing over the stove and started out of the room. "Abbey"
"Abbey, come on"
"Don't go"
"We were only joking with you"
Julia was about to go after her when they heard a loud crashing sound and a scream.

3:01 P.M.
The National Mall Jed Bartlet's Car Jed and Leo sat in the car and waited as the rest of the guys stopped at a vendor to get some food. "Ok. Talk," Leo demanded.
"What?" Jed replied, snapping out of a reverie. "You've been distracted and down all day, Jed." "Yeah, it's just the whole present thing with Ellie"
"Jed, she's going to love whatever you and Abbey give her"
"I know. But if there's something she'd love more, I'd like for her to have it. You know what I mean?" Jed asked.
"Yeah. I've been there with Mallory. We've all been there. It's all part of being a father. It comes with the territory"
"Yeah. Let's talk about something else, all right"
"Fine," Leo answered, goodnaturedly. Neither of them spoke. "Ok, by something else I meant"
"I know. Let's talk about baby names"
Jed smirked.
"Why, Leo, have you gone soft on me"
"What, because I want to discuss baby names"
"Yes"
"I'm curious! Doesn't make me a queer or anything," Leo said.
"Good, I'll be sure and inform Jenny. I'm sure she'll be relieved"
"You're a real pain in the ass, Jed Bartlet"
"Thank you. Now. What about baby names"
"How's Liz doing with names"
"Don't know. She hasn't said anything. She may have mentioned it to Abbey, but not to me," Jed replied.
"Any inklings"
"I think she'll probably name the baby after someone in the family. She's sentimental like that." Leo nodded.
"What about you and Abbey? Have you come up with any names yet"
"We were set on Chelsea for awhile, but now I think we're leaning in a different direction." "Such as"
"Maybe something Irish. Maybe something traditional. Maybe something exotic"
"Wow, looks like you've really narrowed it down," Leo said, rolling his eyes.
"It's tough business, naming a child"
"I'll grant you that. Jenny and I racked our brains for months before we came up with Mallory"
"I remember that. Abbey was pregnant with Liz at the same time, and she and Jenny used to spend hours on the phone, long distance, discussing it"
"Firstborns are serious"
"I know. Just ask my phone bill. I think I spent more money paying the phone bills than the rent that year, Leo, I swear. Abbey was always on the phone with Jenny, and then Michael…it damn near left us broke"
"Long distance will do that to ya," Leo said.
"Hey, Leo, how come you and Jenny stopped after Mallory"
"Stopped what? Having kids"
"Yeah"
Leo shrugged.
"We did it right the first time"
"Sounds like a valid reason"
"It is"
When Jed's car phone began ringing, both men stared at it with confusion.
"Do something!" Leo exclaimed.
"I don't know what to do! It's never done that before"
"It never rang"
"No"
"Well…pick it up or something"
Jed picked up it and held it in his hand.
"Now what"
"Press that button," Leo said, pointing to a big green button that said 'Talk'
"This one"
"Yeah"
"Are you sure? It's not going to like blow up my car or anything"
"Press the damn button"
"Ok, ok"
Jed hit the green button.
"Now what"
"Say hello"
"Right"
"Some Nobel Laureate you are," Leo muttered under his breath.
"Hello"
"Jed, it's Millie." "Millie? What's going on!" Jed asked, with alarm.
"You're gonna need to come home now"
"Is she ok"
"Just come home. Now"
"Ok, I'm on my way"
Jed handed the phone to Leo.
"I don't have time to figure out how to shut the damn thing off, we gotta go"

3:22 P.M.
The Bartlet Household Living Room

Jed and Leo burst through the front doors frantically. Michelle, Julia, Millie, and Jenny sat quietly, worry plain on each of their faces.
"Where is she!" Jed questioned, fervently.
"She's upstairs, in bed," Jenny answered. Jed ran up the stairs without hesitation. Leo moved to sit beside his wife.
"What the hell happened, Jen"
"I don't know, she walked out of the kitchen, saying she was going to rest or something. We thought it was because she was annoyed at us for making fun of her cooking. Then we heard her fall to the ground"
"Jesus," Leo whispered. "Leo, where's everyone else?" Millie asked.
"What? Oh. Shit"
"What"
"We left them there"
"At the Mall"
"Yeah"
"Leo, you got to go back and get them. Dallas is gonna get himself lost," Michelle said, with concern for her husband.
The women suppressed their giggles.
"What! He can't function is places foreign to him. He wanders off and I won't see him again for days"
"Michelle, that's ridiculous, he's a grown"
"Leo, just go, honey," Jenny said, her tone anxious but kind.
"Ok. I'll be back in awhile," he agreed, rushing out the door.
Julia sighed.
"Jed's gonna flip"
"That wasn't him flipping back there?" Millie said.
"I mean tonight. He's going to be on the edge for the whole party," Julia explained.
"It'll be a stretch if he even lets her out of bed," Michelle agreed.
"He'll let her out of bed. But only because of Ellie," Millie told them. "Yeah, she's right. If it wasn't Ellie's birthday, it'd be days before we saw Abbey again," Jenny said.
"Mil, she's ok, right?" Michelle asked.
"Why are you asking me"
"You're the doctor here"
"Right. Well, from what I saw, I think she's fine. It was just a spell, which apparently she's been having quite often. I don't think it's incredibly abnormal, especially for a mid-life pregnancy," Millie answered.
"Forty is mid-life?" Jenny questioned.
"It can be considered so, yes." "So you don't think there's anything to worry about?" Julia said.
"Probably not"
"I bet Jed's up there having spasms right now," Jenny said.
"And I bet Abbey's telling him exactly what I just told you," Millie said.
"Poor Ellie," Michelle whispered.

3:23 P.M.
The Bartlet Household Master Bedroom

Jed walked into the room, closed the door behind him, then stood against it. Abbey sat up in bed at the sight of him and waited. When he didn't speak, she took the initiative.
"Well. You predicted this. How 'bout that"
Jed shook his head.
"Abbey"
"I'm fine, Jed"
In one swift movement, he was at her side, sitting on the side of the bed, holding her hand.
"Maybe we should think about putting you on bedrest," he said.
Her eyes widened.
"Bedrest! Are you kidding me"
"No, I think that"
"Absolutely not. There's no need to go that far. I'm fine, Jed, I told you"
"You collapsed, Abbey, you're not fine"
"I didn't collapse! My legs just got weak and I was in the middle of the room with nothing to grab onto. Otherwise I would have held onto something and been fine"
"You could have hurt yourself"
"But I didn't." "I'm calling Dr. Moore to come look at you," Jed stated.
"Don't bother calling Dr. Moore, I have Millie"
"Millie's not enough and you know it"
"Tell her that and she'll bite your head off," Abbey warned.
"I don't care. I'm calling Dr. Moore"
"No, you're not! I'm fine! You're so goddamn stubborn sometimes, I swear"
"I'm stubborn"
"Yes!" "Look who's talking, Hot Pants," Jed responded.
"Jed," she snapped, tersely.
"Hey, I'm just trying to keep you alive here. I think that's pretty admirable of me, personally." Abbey sighed.
"You're such a drama king"
Jed laughed.
"Did you just say the words 'drama king' to me"
"You're damn straight I did"
"Well. Only a drama queen could come up with something like that," Jed said. "Jed, honestly…just let me rest for awhile. I'll be back in my feet in time for Ellie's party. And before you try to argue, yes, I am going to the party. No way in hell you're getting me to miss out on my daughter's 12th birthday party"
"I wouldn't make you do that, Abbey"
"Yeah, but you were considering it"
"Well, you scared the hell out of me. Do you even know how panicked I was"
"No, but I can certainly imagine," she replied.
He sighed and shifted positions to lay beside Abbey. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer. "You know what I was thinking about?" Abbey asked, quietly.
He smiled at her warmly, stroking her hair.
"What were you thinking about"
"I was thinking about the day Ellie was born"
"Me too"
"And then I was thinking about the day"
"The day what?" "The day I told you I was pregnant with her," Abbey finished.
"Oh, God. What a horrible day that was"
She laughed.
"For you it was"
"It was until you told me"

March 9th, 1975 7:38 P.M.
Boston, Massachusetts

It had been a long winter for Boston. Snow had started falling in early November and continued through March. Abbey Bartlet had gotten out of class at 6pm, visited her doctor, and then began the walk to her parents' penthouse in the center of the city. She folded her arms tightly across her chest in an effort to keep the cold and the snowflakes from penetrating through her long, wool coat. By the time she reached her parents' apartment, she could not hide the smile that was plastered on her face. She stood in front of the closed door until Joanne Bennett opened it.
"Abbey, come in, come in. Did you walk all the way here"
"Wasn't that far, Nan"
"From Harvard? It's far"
"No, no, I came from the doctor's," Abbey replied. "Mommy!" Lizzie cried, running into her arms.
"Hey, baby, how are ya"
"Good! Nan gave me beads and we made a necklace!" She answered, showing her mother the necklace.
"Wow, that's beautiful, sweetie"
"Abbey, you came from the doctor's? Is everything all right"
"Oh, yeah. Everything's great." Joanne eyed her suspiciously.
"Nick!" She shouted, prompting her husband to appear before them.
"What's the matter?" He asked Joanne, then noticing his daughter. "Hi, cookie." "Hi, Daddy"
"Your daughter just came from the doctor's"
"Abigail?" Nick probed, a questioning look in his eyes.
"I'm fine, Dad"
"See? She's fine, Joey"
Abbey looked down at her daughter.
"Ready to go, sweetie"
"Yep"
"Ok. Let's go. Thanks, guys," Abbey said to Nick and Joanne.
"Anytime, lovey. Bye, Lizzie"
"Bye, Pop! Bye, Nan"
"Bye, darling," Joanne returned.
Abbey flashed them a grateful smile, took her daughter's hand, and walked out the door.
-
When Abbey and Elizabeth arrived at their own apartment, it was well after eight. They found Jed in the kitchen rummaging through the cabinets and muttering under his breath. Liz's face lit up at the sight of him.
"Daddy"
Jed whipped around, startled.
"Hi, Lizzie"
"Daddy, wanna see my necklace"
"Not right now, sweetie, Daddy's busy"
"All you have to do is glance at it, Jed," Abbey said from the doorway.
"Fine"
Lizzie held up the necklace tentatively.
"It's wonderful. Ok"
Abbey glared at him angrily, then took Lizzie's hand.
"Come on, honey, let's get you ready for bed before Daddy starts saying things he doesn't mean," Abbey said, leading her out of the room.
Fifteen minutes later, Abbey exited Lizzie's room and began to search around the apartment for her cranky husband. She found him sitting in the dining room with his head flat on the table.
"Jed?" She said, moving towards where he sat.
He lifted his head at the sound of her voice.
"Hey. Listen, I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier"
"You can tell it to Lizzie in the morning"
Jed nodded.
"Today…was a day from hell, Abbey"
Her cold stare turned into a sympathetic gaze.
"What happened, babe"
"I'm at my wit's end with these students. Not an ounce of respect do I get from them"
She walked behind him and began to massage his neck.
"I talk and I talk and they are continualy ignorant to everything I'm saying. I don't even know why I bother. I really don't"
"Jed"
"And their exam scores! You'd think I wasn't even teaching them. All of my other classes excel beyond words, but this one"
"Jed"
"I don't know what it is! Troublemarkers, every one"
"Jed"
"I don't even ask them to write essays anymore, because not one of them has any skill in that area whatsoever. It's like"
"I'm pregnant"
"…they do it on purpose, just to rile me up! I absolutely cannot take it any…what did you say"
"I'm pregnant"
"You're pregnant! As in…with child"
"Yes! I just found out tonight"
She walked around until she was standing in front of him.
"Well…what…is it mine"
Abbey looked at him incredulously.
"No, it's Paul Newman's"
His eyes widened.
"It is"
"No! Jesus, Jed"
Suddenly, his face broke into a smile.
"You're pregnant"
"A little slow on the intake today, buddy"
"Oh my God"
He jumped up from his seat and hugged her, spinning her around.
"Well, that got rid of your bad mood," Abbey observed.
"You…are incredible"
"As much as I'd like to take all the credit for this one, you had a little to do with it as well, my dear"
"Yeah, but you…you're incredible. Amazing. The most astonishing, marvelous, bewitching creature on the face of the earth"
"Calm down, honey. Deep breaths"
"Do you even know how much I love you"
"I have an idea but….feel free to refresh my memory"
He grinned, then pulled her into him and kissed her.
"Wow," she said, when she caught her breath. "You must really love me a whole lot"
"You could say that. Is the feeling mutual"
"Very much so"
"Good then. Let's have a baby"