The following morning Alex was in the barn taking care of the horses and mucking out the stalls. It didn't matter that their father was the most powerful man on the planet. The Bartlet children had to do chores and now that Logan was living with them, he wasn't exempt either.
"Hey," Zoey said, coming into the barn. "You're up early."
"I'm in a good mood and I guess I missed the horses now that I'm not home."
"Well, no one's stopping you. I'm just surprised, that's all." Zoey went to sit on one of the milking stools. "Do you need help?"
"Do you need any help?"
"Thanks, I've got it." She paused. "Hey, Zoey?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Yeah. What is it?"
Alex set the rake she was using against one of the stalls, "Logan proposed to me yesterday and I said yes."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious, Zoey. We're engaged."
"Mom and dad will never let you get married."
Alex shrugged, "Logan and I are going to talk to them about it. He's already living with us so getting married might make some things easier."
Zoey stared at her, "Are you crazy? You don't know anything about being married. And you said it yourself, Logan's parents hate you."
"I don't need to know anything Zoey. I'll learn. Besides, we've been together for almost two years. I wouldn't have slept with him if I didn't think I was going to marry him someday."
"This is going to make the bullying worse, you know that right?"
"Zoey, what do you want me to say? The only good thing in my life right now is Logan."
Zoey looked stung, "Thanks a lot."
Alex realized what she said, "Zo…"
"Save it, Alex."
Zoey bolted out of the barn, leaving Alex devastated.
In the house, Liz was busy in the kitchen working on side dishes for dinner later on.
"Hey," Toby said, coming into the kitchen. "Do you need help?"
"I would love help. My sisters were supposed to help me. But they're nowhere to be found."
"I think Zoey and Charlie are up in her room, and Alex and Logan are…somewhere."
"Okay. Do you want to help me cut up potatoes?"
"Sure." He took a knife and joined Liz at the counter. "Where's Annie?"
"Playing in her room."
"So it's just you and me. It's nice that your parents went to town."
"Yeah. Manchester is one of the few places where they can spend time alone together."
Toby smiled, "They still act like newlyweds sometimes, don't they?"
"Maybe we'll be like that someday," He grinned.
"We just might be…complete with a baby or two of our own."
"Yes," He said with a spark in his eyes.
"I have thought about it. Ellie and I are three years apart. I'm almost ten years apart from the twins. Are you open to a baby?"
"I might be," Toby said with a little smile. "Until I met you, it was a case of not being with the right person."
Liz smiled. "Well, for what it's worth, you're already such a great father to Annie. I think if we had a baby, it would be incredible."
Toby said nothing but hugged Liz tightly. He had visions of being in this family for a long time.
Meanwhile, Josh and Donna were in the midst of their own Thanksgiving preparations.
As they were setting the table, there was a knock on the door.
"That's probably your sister, Joshua," Rachel called.
"I got it, Mom."
Sure enough, Joey was standing there with a pie.
"Hey, Jo," Josh said, hugging her and kissing her cheek.
"Hi, Josh. Where's Mom?"
"In the kitchen with Donna and her dad."
They walked in, where Joey greeted her mother and Donna and introduced herself to Daniel. She immediately insisted on helping her mother with the potatoes, and they all began talking.
Soon, the conversation turned to the late Noah Lyman.
"I had no idea that your father's shiva helped bring you two together," Rachel said as they all sat in the kitchen preparing food for that day.
"We wanted to keep that quiet out of respect for you, Mom," Donna said.
"I didn't know, either," Joey admitted. "I'm glad I made the funeral, even if I couldn't sit the whole shiva."
"You were working, Jo," Josh reassured her. "Dad would get that."
"It's a lovely story, though," Rachel said. "Noah would be so happy to know that."
"Noah sounds like he was a wonderful man," Daniel commented.
"Yes," Rachel replied. "He kept me going after we lost Joanie. He was the one who felt strongly that we should bring Joey into our lives. And he always thought these two would make a lovely couple."
Daniel smiled at Josh. "Julia would've liked you, too."
"Really?" Josh replied. He didn't know a lot about Donna's mother, only that she had passed away long before she came to New Hampshire.
"Yes, she always hoped that Donna would find a good man like Josh who would love her as much as we did."
"Well I found him," Donna said, squeezing Josh's hand.
"And I found you," Josh smiled back.
"How was your flight, mom?"
"It was wonderful Donna," Rachel replied. "Your father and I found each other and we got coffee together before Josh picked us up."
Donna gave Josh an interested look, "I'm glad you two found each other."
"I am too. We got around to talking about how prepared the two of you are for our grandchild."
"Mom!"
"Joshua, the two of you are about to go through a major life event."
"I know, but still…"
"Don't worry, Josh," Daniel said, clapping a hand on Josh's shoulder. "Comes with the territory. Donna's mother, God rest her soul, never wanted me to take care of Donna alone, either. At least not until I had to."
Donna's eyes flickered downward. Her mother Julia had died of cancer ten years earlier when Donna was 15. On her deathbed, she had made sure Daniel would not be ill-equipped to raise a quiet, but oftentimes headstrong, teenage daughter on his own.
"Well, I for one am glad she had you, Daniel," Rachel spoke up.
Daniel and Rachel continued working while Josh and Donna went to grab some bowls from the sideboard in their dining room. Joey followed to grab silverware. Donna turned to Josh.
"How long do you think that's been going on?"
"What do you mean?" Josh asked.
"My dad and your mom! Something is going on between them."
"No there's not!"
"Josh," She laughed. "Yes, there is."
He frowned, "You really think so?"
"I'm just saying that they look awfully comfortable with each other, that's all."
"I couldn't agree more, Donna," Joey said, moving to help her sister-in-law.
"Is this a good thing?"
"Yes, Joshua, it is. Except for where this baby and I are concerned, I can't remember the last time I saw my dad this happy."
Josh sighed. "Same with my mom." He admitted. Joey nodded in agreement.
This would be interesting for sure. But it would be worth it to see his mom happy again.
Logan wandered into the family room. Alex was upstairs asleep. She spent the last hour crying in his arms over fighting with her sister and he hated it.
"Hey Charlie," He said, seeing Zoey's best friend reading a book on the sofa.
"Hey, Logan," Charlie replied. "What's going on with Alex and Zoey?"
Logan paused, "What makes you think something's wrong?"
"Because Zoey's been really upset since this morning."
He didn't say anything at first. Instead, Logan just sat beside Charlie.
"I did something that upset Zoey. But I don't regret doing it."
"What did you do?"
Logan hesitated, "I asked Alex to marry me."
"You-what? You're kidding, right?"
"No. I'm not."
"When are you getting married then?"
"Hopefully as soon as we turn 18. Maybe sooner."
"Wow," Charlie said, slightly stunned. "So that's why Zoey's mad?"
"Yeah, she's mad that Alex didn't tell her right away and because she feels like Alex chose me over her."
The younger boy grimaced, "I'm sorry man, that's rough. I didn't know you could get married sooner."
"We looked at the law here. You can get married sooner with your parent's permission."
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Yeah, it's the right thing, Charlie. I'm already living in the residence and Alex feels guilty enough about us. And I already feel like she's my wife."
"You do?"
"Yeah." Logan's voice was serious. "I do."
"Wow," Charlie said. "I hope I can find a girl who looks at me with half as much love as you and Logan. Heck, if my mom can find that, I would be happy."
"Where is your mom, by the way? I thought she would be here."
"She had to work. But she'll come up tomorrow for leftovers."
"That's too bad."
"What about your family?"
"I skipped it this year. Alex hasn't been with me for any family holidays yet. I didn't want this to be the first one."
"Why not?"
Logan sighed. "Let's just say that the Bartlets are ten times more supportive than my parents will ever be. They've always cared more about my sister than me."
"I'm sorry."
He shrugged, "It's not that bad. I don't have to deal with my parents' problems at least. And I have unlimited access to buy whatever I want."
"So you're a glass half full kind of guy."
"I try to be. Plus I'm going to marry Alex. She's my best friend and my fantasy all wrapped up into one person."
Charlie smirked, "Is Alex really the hottest girl you know?"
"Yeah, she is. She's everything to me."
Charlie stuck out his hand. "Well, the Bartlets are lucky to have you. And I'm lucky to have you as a friend."
Logan accepted his hand. "Thanks."
"Logan?"
"Yeah?"
"Just be careful. I know you and Alex love each other. But Zoey's Alex's twin sister. They were together long before you or I came along. We should work on trying to bring them together, not let them be driven apart."
"Agreed. Friends?" Logan said.
Charlie smiled, "Friends."
In DC, the Lyman-Moss Thanksgiving was underway. The five adults were enjoying a good meal and conversation.
Rachel was cut off in her conversation with Daniel by a low moan coming from the end of the table. She looked up to see Donna clutching her stomach, her face white as a sheet.
"You all right, sweetheart?" Daniel said, ready to rise from his chair. But Rachel knew instantaneously what was wrong.
"Donna," Rachel said calmly. "How long have you been having contractions?"
"I've had Braxton Hicks contractions all day."
Rachel consulted her watch and waited. No less than five minutes later, another contraction hit. "Donna, you're in labor."
"No, I'm not."
"Oh sweetie, you are. I've been through this twice," She said, coming around the table to Donna's side. "Daniel, you'd best go warm up the car. Joey, can you call the hospital?"
"Sure, Mom," Joey replied, hurrying into the kitchen.
"Joshua, does she have a bag?"
"Yeah, she does," Josh said, his face pale.
"Why don't you go get it?"
Josh started to leave, but Donna called out to him. He ran back over, sat down, and started to stroke her hair.
"Just breathe through it, honey."
Rachel crouched down to Donna's level. "Ready or not, this is happening. These contractions are less than five minutes apart. This is it, Donna. You're about to meet your baby."
"But I'm still making lists for Amy!" Donna breathed. "She doesn't even know the twins' school schedules."
"Amy will figure it out," Rachel replied as the contraction passed. "We need to get you to the hospital. Otherwise, you're going to have this baby right here and now."
Donna blew out a deep breath, still recovering from the tail end of the pain. "Okay."
Rachel took Donna's hand and squeezed it supportively. "Joshua?"
Josh stood up, looking anxious and unsure what to do. "Mom, is everything ok?"
"Donna is officially on maternity leave, honey. We need to get to the hospital. But on the way, you should call Amy. I think that would ease Donna's mind."
"Okay, I'll go ask Daniel if the car is warm yet."
Josh left and they could hear him talking to Amy as he walked out the door.
"Great."
"Ready?" Rachel asked Donna.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
A few minutes later Rachel and Donna got into the car. Daniel insisted on driving. Joey was following them in her car. Josh sat in the passenger seat. Rachel wrapped her arm protectively around her daughter-in-law.
"Just hang in there, Donna." Rachel said as she pushed Donna's hair behind her ear. "We'll be there before you know it."
Donna took a deep breath and relaxed as the contraction passed. "God, this hurts."
"Well, they don't call it labor because it's easy." Rachel smiled.
"How far apart are they?" Josh asked anxiously.
"Still five minutes." Rachel said without hesitation, glancing up from her watch.
"We're halfway there, Donna," Josh said, looking at her from the front seat.
"I can't do this," Donna blurted, suddenly feeling anxious.
"This will be the best thing you've ever done, even when you feel like you're failing or don't know what you're doing," Rachel soothed. "I'm looking at the proof of that as we speak."
Donna nodded at her mother-in-law as a hand drifted to her belly. If she was half as good of a mother as Rachel, and half as good as her own mother was with her, she would be just fine.
June 1966:
Jonathan Bartlet leapt up from the couch. "You're WHAT?" His wife Elizabeth sat on the couch in shock.
16-year-old Jed flinched as he sat eavesdropping from the staircase.
22-year-old Julia Bartlet stood determined in the living room. "Daniel and I are getting married. We've decided."
"You've decided nothing! Daniel doesn't have the means to support a family."
"He has a good job, Dad."
"As a salesman!"
"An insurance salesman. And that's just temporary. He wants to teach high school history."
"I did not send you to school to marry a teacher, Julia Grace," Jonathan replied. "Your mother and I expect you to marry a man from a good family and have a life befitting of this family."
"I love Daniel, Dad. We're getting married, whether you approve or not."
"I won't stand for it!" Jonathan roared. "Absolutely not. Call off this engagement of yours. Your mother and I will find you a suitable match."
Elizabeth stepped forward, "Darling, please try to see reason."
"Elizabeth, I will handle this," Jonathan told her firmly. Elizabeth, as she so often did, meekly stepped back.
"Julia, you will call off your engagement, or I will see to it that you NEVER see Daniel Moss again!"
"How do you plan to do that?" Julia asked.
"I'll send you to a convent if that's what it takes!"
"Fine," Julia said simply. She picked up her purse from where it sat on the coffee table and then went over to her mother. She hugged her and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Mama."
"Julia, please don't do this," Elizabeth said.
"Where are you going?" Jonathan demanded.
"I'm going to be with Daniel, Daddy."
"Julia-Grace, if you leave this house, you leave this family!"
Julia looked stricken for a second. Then, her expression resolved into one of determination. "Guess that's the way it has to be, then."
She headed for the front door when she heard a voice ask, "Julia?"
She turned to see Jed on the landing. "Jed? Did you hear-"
"Every word."
Julia nodded, "Tell John I said goodbye."
"I will."
"I'll see you later, Jethro."
"See you later, Jules," Jed managed to say.
And with that, Julia Bartlet turned and walked out the door of her childhood home for the very last time.
"Jonathan!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Go after her."
"No," Jonathan said, watching her leave. "She's made her choice."
He walked into his study without another word.
Outside, Julia jumped in Daniel's pick-up truck.
"Sure you're ready to leave all this behind?"
Julia took one last look at her childhood home, thinking of the two brothers she was leaving in the clutches of her father's wrath. "No."
She turned back to Daniel. "But I'm ready to be your wife."
Daniel smiled, kissing her cheek. He put the car into drive, and they left New Hampshire.
Forever.
A few hours after Zoey and Alex fought, the extended Bartlet family, including Charlie and Logan, gathered for Thanksgiving dinner.
As they sat down at a table laden with turkey and all the sides imaginable for a Thanksgiving meal, Jed stood at the head of the table. "Let us pray."
Everyone bowed their heads. "Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."
"Amen." Everyone responded.
"Well, everyone, dig in!" Abbey announced.
Plates were filled with food and conversations started up around the table. Zoey and Alex were sitting with Charlie and Logan in between them so they didn't have to sit next to each other.
"So Alex, how is school going in Washington?" Emily asked.
"I like it," Alex said. "It's a little different than school here. But everyone is nice and I like that they have a music program."
Zoey rolled her eyes, "Yeah, you're so perfect," she mumbled.
"Did you say something, Zoey?" Emily asked.
"No, Aunt Emily," Zoey smiled.
"What books are you reading now?" Rory asked.
"Pride and Prejudice for a project," Zoey said. "Then, we're reading David Copperfield."
"Wow, that's a big book!" Rory replied. "But you'll like it, I did."
"Now, who's perfect?" Alex snapped.
"Alexandra!" Emily said, startled. "Behave!"
"I apologize, Aunt Emily," Alex said, looking sufficiently chastised.
Zoey smirked. But Alex decided to focus on her plate instead so she wouldn't be tempted to react.
"The twins got into a fight," Abbey said quietly to her husband at the other end of the table.
Jed nodded. "You bet they did." He stood up. "Girls, may we see you in the living room for a moment?"
"Us?" Alex asked with feigned surprise.
"What did we do?" Zoey asked innocently.
Abbey was more succinct. "Living room. Now."
They both reluctantly rose from the table and went into the living room just across from the dining room. Jed closed the sliding doors separating the two rooms.
"Okay," He said. "You have about ten seconds to tell us why you came five seconds to tearing each other's heads off in there."
"Alex is getting married." Zoey blurted out.
"Zoey!" Alex exclaimed. She put her head in her hands. This was not how she wanted to tell her parents. She planned to sit them down with Logan tomorrow and explain how they felt.
"What!?" Jed yelled, his eyes widening. "No, you're not."
"Jed!" Abbey said, looking back towards the dining room. "Keep your voice down."
"This is my house and my family, Abigail. I will do whatever the hell I like. And I've put up with enough. Logan is welcome to stay with us, but I'm not playing this game anymore," He said and turned to Alex. "I've had it with you. You will break up with Logan and forget all about engagements and marriage and boys for all I care. Is that clear, Alexandra Grace?"
Alex looked up at him, her eyes wide, "No, daddy, please don't."
"Jed," Abbey said in a warning tone. "Calm down."
"No!" Jed replied looking at his wife. "I will not calm down. We have had nothing but problems with this child since she started seeing this boy and I'm fed up. Alex is not going to throw her life away for Logan."
"Dad, you don't understand!" Alex said her voice breaking.
"I understand plenty! Your Aunt Julia ran off and eloped, and I didn't see her again until she was dying! I'm not about to lose my daughter the same way."
"I need him," Alex said, her voice breaking.
"Jed…" Abbey put a hand on his arm. "Study. Now."
Jed sighed, walking toward the study. The twins stayed on the couch.
They went into the study, and Abbey firmly shut the door.
"Don't tell me you're encouraging this," Jed yelled.
"Don't raise your voice to me."
"I mean it, Abbey, I'm not putting up with this bullshit anymore. We've already had to deal with one pregnant teenager. Not to mention questions from the staff, the public, the press, and social media. Here we are supposed to be good Catholics and we're going against everything the church teaches. I've had to listen to adults and teenagers alike call my daughter a slut because of that boy."
"That boy has a name. His name is Logan and in two years, he has done nothing to hurt our daughter. He loves her. And she loves him," Abbey said calmly. "And you have no say in it, Jed. Neither do I. Your father didn't either with Julia."
"If he was here right now, he would have told me to send her to a convent the second a boy was involved."
"You're not your father, Jed. In fact, you swore to me that you wouldn't be like him with your kids."
"Abbey…"
"Jed. If you forbid Alex from seeing Logan, she will run away. And she will cut off contact with us the second she turns 18. Is that what you want?"
Jed was quiet for a minute. Then, he sat down. "There's nothing I can do to stop this?"
"No." Abbey sat in front of him. "We'll make it crystal clear to both of them that they will not marry before they turn 18. They'll live with us, and we'll keep an eye on them. Alex is on the pill, and I will monitor her closely."
"They're staying in separate rooms," He said. "No more sneaking around."
"We can try that. But if they want to sleep in the same bed, we can't stop them," Abbey pointed out. "If Alex really wants to be in a relationship, this is how she learns."
"And what do we say to everyone else in the meantime?"
"That we are fortunate to have a good son in our family," Abbey said decidedly. "You want Logan to be good enough for Alex, teach him how to be a good man."
Jed nodded. "Yeah. All right."
They opened the study door and went back out to the living room. Zoey was on the couch but Alex was gone.
"Where is your sister?"
"She ran upstairs," Zoey said quietly. "I think she might be throwing up."
Abbey sighed, "Damn it."
Leo and Andrea were with Mallory, Maisie, and Riley along with her brother, sister, and their kids at their home in Maryland on Thanksgiving. The conversation at the dinner table was so boisterous that Leo and Andrea didn't hear the phone in the kitchen ring. Andrea heard it first and left the dining room. She picked up the kitchen handset and put it to her ear.
"Wyatt-McGarry Residence," She said into the phone.
"Hello, this is Captain Frank Morris with the Metropolitan Police Department. May I speak with Leo McGarry please?"
"Certainly," Andrea replied. She covered the receiver. "Leo!"
Leo came in. "What is it?"
"Metro PD for you." She handed him the phone.
"Leo McGarry."
"Mr. McGarry, My name is Captain Frank Morris. I just got off the phone with Ron Butterfield, who told me that I need to contact you about where to find Charles Young."
"Yes, Captain Morris, the President prefers not to be disturbed when he's traveling with his family. Charlie is spending Thanksgiving with them. What is this about?"
Captain Morris paused, "Mr. McGarry, Sergeant Michelle Young was pronounced dead at GW an hour ago. I understand that there are protocols in place to protect the President. But we have to notify him and Mrs. Bartlet. Sergeant Young listed them as her next of kin here in the District."
The color drained from Leo's face. "Oh, my God."
Andy stepped forward. "Leo?"
"I'll notify them right away. Thank you." Leo hung up the phone and turned to him. "Charlie's mother is dead."
