A/N: For May Symone, a guest reviewer, and mange. paige. 09
Disclaimer: I do not own Madam Secretary or any of its characters used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. No infringement is intended and this story is not for profit.
Summary: Team McCord spend some quality time together. It involves horses.
Rating: K
Genre: Family
A blanket of snow covered the driveway of the farmhouse. There was sharp chirping from birds overhead. The air smelled crisp and cold, with a hint of muck that was emanating from the stables.
Three girls sat outside on the front porch, each holding a cup of steaming hot cocoa and bundled in the thickest of winter wear.
A sigh escaped Stephanie McCord, a visible puff of air forming as she let it out. "I can't believe this is the last time we're ever gonna be in this place."
Her mother, Elizabeth, nodded her agreement. "I know. Makes you all nostalgic, huh? Remember when you would make snow angels right over there? Or when we would have snowball fights or bury dad in snow?" A small smile graced her lips as she reminisced.
"Why do we have to sell it?" asked Alison, "This place has so many memories. Can't we keep this as a vacation home? All my friends say having one's really useful."
Elizabeth cocked her head to the side before saying, "Because it's expensive to keep this place running when nobody's ever here, Noodle. Plus, the horses get lonely without us."
Alison looked down sadly. "I just can't imagine having another family live here. This is home—even though it smells or the network connection is so bad."
Stevie sighed wistfully a second time. "I know! It just shows how when you're faced with losing the things you love, you start to appreciate it for what it truly is… Home."
A painful silence took over as the two daughters looked out to the road, trying to absorb every last detail their eyes could reach.
Elizabeth looked at each of them in turn, half-amused and half-touched at how sentimental they were being. Breaking the silence, she nudged her daughters and said, "Okay. I for one do not intend to spend our last days in the farmhouse mulling over its eventual loss. What do you say to some horseback riding, huh?"
Alison smiled skeptically. "If you can convince your detail to let you go and dad to get on a horse…"
"Oh, you leave my detail and your father to me."
With their sadness put on hold for now, the three of them turned back inside the house, calling out to the slumbering men to put on their winter gear.
…
"What's the plan again?" asked Henry, his face almost completely obscured between two furry earmuffs, a bonnet, and a scarf.
He rubbed his gloved hands together, trying to get some feeling into them. They've been out in the snow for only a minute when he began to feel nothing at all; his nose and hands were numb. Although his wife told him he was just anxious of getting up on the horse.
"Horseback riding around the place, visit old haunts," stated Stevie simply.
"And we have to do that on a horse because it's faster and easier," added Alison.
"So, the horse will have to move, dad," Jason told him.
Henry chuckled. "I know that, son. And just because I don't get on horses as frequently as you do, doesn't mean I can't do Hand Rein Communication."
Elizabeth brought both hands to her chest in a moved gesture. "You remembered the lesson!"
Henry grinned. Of course he remembered. The lesson involved the horse bucking him off. For some reason, he could just never connect well with horses like his wife and kids no matter how hard he tried, hence the trepidation and numbed fingers. But he didn't point that out just now.
His children, however, weren't as supportive as their mother.
"Five bucks says your horse won't move at all," called Jason, moving to mount his horse.
Alison and Stevie nodded.
"Way to show your faith in me, guys."
"Well, I have faith in you," said Elizabeth, pecking him on the lips before mounting her own horse.
Henry grinned proudly.
Everybody else got on their horses and started a slow trot forward.
Elizabeth glanced back to find her husband still exactly where they left him.
Laughter coming from her kids told her they saw him too.
The sight was comical. Henry was trying to urge his horse by hugging her body with his legs, a serious expression on his face as he nudged her on. He kept lifting the reins up and forward and making clucking noises but to no avail.
"You wanna ride with mom, dad?" teased Jason. "Or do I run to the house to get my five bucks from your wallet?"
"Ha ha," replied Henry dryly, "Sally's just being stubborn is all. Come on, girl—whoa." Sally started to move. "See?" he said to Jason. "Now, you owe me."
"Alright. Defeat acknowledged," said Jason graciously.
The family of five went on their way, a black SUV trailing slowly behind them.
They passed the neighborhood playground and Elizabeth and Henry decided it was time for annoying baby stories.
"Hey, Jace. Do you remember Anna? Your first love? She kissed you right on this playground," said Elizabeth, smiling widely against the cold.
Jason groaned, his face redder than normal, but laughed nonetheless. "I was two!"
"Didn't she also break up with you after five minutes when you wouldn't share your ice cream?" asked Stevie, not able to resist the opportunity to tease.
"Nice to know where your priorities lay," added Alison.
"There was also that time when we forgot Alison in the playground on the way home," shared Henry.
Alison gaped. "You forgot me?"
"We thought you were with Uncle Will!" laughed Elizabeth.
"Okay. Jason, I take it back. Mom and Dad's priorities were waaay more skewed than yours. What if I was kidnapped?"
"You know," said Henry, "I think you were taken at one point. We're not even sure if the same kid returned."
Alison looked back at him to find him winking. Her face softened into a grin and she decided to play along. "Must be why my hair's black and not blonde."
Stevie laughed and then she squealed. "LOOK!" She pointed to a small one-story house. "It's still here! Can we go, please?"
Her siblings wore similar excited looks on their faces and when Henry and Elizabeth said yes, they broke into a gallop towards it.
"Wait! No galloping! No—ah," Elizabeth let out a breath, watching her children's figures grow small. She turned to her husband, "It's like they're four years old. No self-control at all."
Henry trotted to her side and took her hand. "Sally and I are gonna maintain this pace with you, babe."
"But that's because you never learned how to gallop."
"Whatever happened to having faith in my horseback riding skills?"
"Oh, right. Thanks for reminding me."
Henry chuckled and the two continued towards the house.
...
The house was a quaint breakfast place where parents used to go to after dropping their children off at school. However, it later became the go-to neighborhood eatery by teenagers and adults due to its delicious menu and homey atmosphere.
After climbing down their horses and tying the reins to the fence, the family walked inside, one DS Agent following, while another stayed outside in the car and kept an eye on the animals.
The moment the door closed behind them, Henry sighed, relishing in the warmth of the house.
Stevie bounded up to the counter, ordering her favorite, while the rest of the family took their time removing some of their layers and getting the family a table.
"What would you guys like us to get?" asked Alison, ready to join the queue of customers.
"Coffee, please, sweetie," said Henry, raising curled hands. "Or else my fingers are going to be permanently bent and holding on to imaginary reins."
Elizabeth scoffed, grabbing both of his hands and rubbing them against hers. "A chocolate croissant for me and coffee for Matt and Frank, Noodle. They must be freezing."
While Alison and Jason left to order for them, Elizabeth said, "You know, this is the first time in a long time when I can eat whatever I want without Blake coming in to switch my breads with fruit."
Henry laughed, pulling his hands away to put an arm around her. "Babe, that's why you hired him."
"I know! But just because I pay him to do it doesn't mean I like it."
Back with their food after a few minutes, the kids handed out the coffee orders and then settled down with their parents.
"This is what I'm gonna miss! They just don't make bagels like these in DC!" gushed Stevie, her mouth half-stuffed.
"Do you think if we take home a box of their goods and keep it in the freezer, it'll last until New Year's?" asked Jason, equally happy with his plate of bacon and waffles.
"If you make it last," said Henry, sipping his coffee, the feeling in his fingers finally returning. "But we all know it's going to be gone within two days."
Elizabeth looked around, appreciating the wooden decor and the picture frames on the walls. "This is nice, going back here as a family and relaxing. It's a nice way to say goodbye to the place."
"I agree. Horseback riding was a really good idea, mom," said Stevie.
"I'm gonna stretch this day out as far as I can. I'm sorry, but I'm not looking forward to packing up the rest of the house," said Alison somberly.
Elizabeth took her daughter's hand, "Me too, baby."
Once finished with their food, they walked back out again and got on the horses, heading back to the farmhouse.
"Hey, guys. What do you say to some snowball fight?" asked Henry, stopping his horse when they passed the playground. His butt was growing uncomfortable and he wanted to get some feeling back into it.
"I'm game!" cried Jason, quickly getting down his own horse.
"Kids versus parents!" shouted Stevie. The sisters dropped down to the ground and before Henry knew it, he was the only one still saddled.
"Don't start without me!" he told them, but balls of snow were already flying. Henry shook his head, amused. Elizabeth was right. It's like the kids were four years old again.
A snowball hit the ground near Sally's hooves, spooking her. She neighed and bucked, causing Henry to tumble down to the soft snow, a yelp escaping him.
"HENRY!" Elizabeth jumped over, helping him up.
Henry shook away the snow in his hair and shivered as some of it snaked down from his unprotected bit of neck to his chest. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Horses tend to throw me over. I'm used to it."
Jason was doubling over in laughter while Alison was frowning at him.
"What? You have to admit it's funny seeing a retired marine captain and full time religion professor fall on his butt."
Henry suppressed a cackle himself. Under his hands was a ball of snow and Jason was beautifully preoccupied. Henry pressed his lips together, took aim, and then threw the ball at his son.
"HEY!"
Now it was Henry who was laughing.
"Oh, it's on, captain!"
Elizabeth and Henry scrambled behind a tube slide while the kids proceeded to hurl snowball after snowball at them.
"Matt! Help!"
"Uh-uh! No DS Agents! That's unfair!"
Squeals of laughter and screams punctuated the air. There was also a huff and a neigh from Sally.
A/N: Tell me what you think! To mange. paige. 09, I know you wanted something more serious and scary but I just couldn't ruin the mood of the story. I hope this is still okay. :)