AN: Hey, I know you all probably thought I managed to buy Madam Secretary over the few days I didn't write, but I hate to disappoint you that I still own no part of Madam Secretary except for this plotline. Sorry I didn't write I had this weird "503 service not available" thingy pop up every time I tried to go onto my account. According to some of my friends it happened to a few people. Anyway, here's chapter three. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Three
The Road to Recovery

Liz was on her way to the State Department, coffee cup in hand, when it happened. They were going down 21st Street nearly to the building, suddenly a pedestrian thought it would be a good time to cross the road. The car jerked to a stop. Liz was thrown forwards slightly before her seatbelt caught her, but even still her coffee spilled onto her.

"Holy Mary Mother of..." Liz exclaimed as the steaming hot liquid fell back onto her. Fred looked into the back of the car.

"Everything alright ma'am?" He asked and Liz nodded starting to dab at her blouse with the napkin Fred handed her.

"Yeah, hey, I didn't want to wear this shirt today anyway. It'll be alright I have an extra in the office," Liz assured him. She dabbed the area again trying not to wince as she dabbed her shirt which was conveniently right over her broken, but set, ribs. Two minutes later they arrived at the office. Grabbing her crutches Liz hobbled out of the SUV. Steadying herself she began to crutch into the building, her jacket nicely covering the coffee stain she now donned on her shirt.

"Blake, I need my extra shirt, we had a j-walker problem in the car and now I don't have any coffee because all of it is on my shirt," Liz whined throwing her empty cup into the trash on her way to her office. Minutes later, Blake walked in with a new shirt and a fresh cup of coffee.

"Blake, have I ever told you how much I love you?" Liz asked as she took a long drink of coffee.

"Madam Secretary, I hate to rain on your parade, but we can't forget that you're married," Blake joked back, and Liz sighed dramatically.

"I will express my love by continuing to sign your paychecks. Which I actually don't do, but I suppose it's a figure of speech." Liz babbled as she practically inhaled the coffee. "Oh and thank you for the shirt, leave it on the chair and shut the door on the way out."

"Yes, ma'am, also, you have a meeting in the conference room in ten minutes," Blake reminded her.

"No, I have one at the White House at nine, but I don't know about any other meetings. Wait is it the Bahrain meeting? Because I thought that was on Wednesday," Liz thought aloud.

"They moved your meeting from the White House to here in light of your recent injuries," Blake said and walked out shutting the doors behind him. Sighing heavily Liz rolled her desk chair over to where Blake had laid down her shirt feeling to lazy to crutch all the way over there. As she slowly changed, her movements choppy due to the pain still present in her ribs and chest, Liz had no clue there was a camera pointed at her.

Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord crutched into the conference room expecting to come face to face with two very sullen politicians but instead when she stumbled into the room she was met with a shower of confetti and a collective cry of 'welcome back'.

"Oh my God," Liz said looking around the room seeing her staff, Conrad, Russel, and Henry all crammed into the room along with a pink cake that read WELCOME BACK MADAM SECRETARY. "Who picked out the cake?" She asked and all heads turned to Matt.

"Sorry, I didn't know what other color to get," Matt said feebly as he was stared down by both his boss and her boss. Which in his situation was a very uncomfortable position, not even taking into account that they were both ex-CIA employees.

"Let's hope it tastes good," Liz said with a laughable mood in place. Henry came over and wrapped his arms around Liz's waist, being very careful to not knock over one of her crutches. "So, how long have you known about this little get together?" Liz asked her husband.

"Well, I think they knew that you would find a way to get it out of me. So they called me this morning and told me to get my butt down here," Henry smiled knowing just how well Liz's staff knew her.

"I'm assuming you told them that it was a terrible idea and you told them how much I hate surprises." Liz stated leaning more fully against Henry who hesitated.

"I told them it wasn't probably... well, how about I get you a piece of cake to make it up to you?" Henry asked and Liz smiled.

"You know me so well, I'm going to go sit down. I don't really want t fall down in front of my boss." Liz reasoned and made her way over to a couch against one of the walls.

"Liz, I'm so glad you're recovering nicely," Conrad said joining Liz on the couch and nodding towards her crutches.

"Well, I think we both know it'll take more than a small bomb to take me out," Liz replied smiling her fingers subconsciously fiddling with her glasses in her pocket.

"That was discovered about fifteen years ago actually," Conrad smiled, "Are you having any of the problems you did before?" Liz shivered thinking of the dark year she had gone through fifteen years ago.

"No, which I'm very thankful for," Liz responded her voice hardening slightly.

"Well, here comes your arm candy, I better run," The president smiled standing. "I hope your recovery is a fast one."

"Thank you sir," Liz responded her voice still a tad bit harsh. Henry slid onto the couch a minute later.

"Unless my many years of observation have failed me," Henry began handing Liz a piece of cake. "You just got very annoyed with the leader of the free world."

"He brought up fifteen years ago," Liz said quietly as she skewered a piece of cake on the end of her fork.

"Oh, Liz, I'm sorry, I..." Henry didn't know what to say. Liz was clearly hurt and he hated seeing her hurt. But yet he knew at the same time if he continued to talk about it, the problem would worsen.

"It's fine Henry. I'm fine, I'd be better but I have to keep toting around these damn crutches," Liz joked lightening the mood slightly, but underneath her countless layers Henry could see how scared she was that she might slip and her past would repeat.

"Well, I'd love to see you try and get around without the, as you put it, "damn crutches" I don't think you'll get very far," Henry responded nudging her shoulder.

"Aren't you supposed to say you have faith in me? What was that whole in sickness and in health thingy we said at the alter?" Liz joked back and Henry was glad she could joke easily and smile. But his mind continued to wander back 15 years.

Meanwhile, Allison and Jason were at lunch. It had been an odd morning. Allison was slightly weirded out and concerned after all her mother had been almost blown up. Jason on the other hand was milking the traumatized act for all he was worth. Most of the teachers felt bad for them, and either offered to lessen their homework load or to extend the due dates. The entire time Jason sat there, faking light trembles while silently rolling his eyes out of sight, he thought of a the quote "What fools these mortals be..." he wasn't sure who it was by. Maybe he would ask dad later. It was probably Shakespeare, he seemed to have a pretty high opinion of himself so it sounded like something he would've written.

After school was over and Jason had met up with Allison so they could walk home together or, as they said, so neither would get jumped on the metro.

"How much homework did you get?" Jason asked Allison as they walked down the metro steps.

"Nothing, not a single worksheet. Well, unless you count the one I got in American History, but that's not due until Wednesday, and it's only one sided." She responded with her extremely light backpack slung over her shoulder.

"I got better, none, at all. I even faked a melt down during block 3 I was tired of MAth. " Jason grinned at his own intelligence. They boarded the yellow line heading home. LIttle did they know there was a dark figure lurking behind them snapping photos of them as they rode.

AN: Sorry this was way shorter than the others and I made you wait so long for it. Again, I am also sorry for any grammar mistakes I made. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm still recovering from another one of my show's finales so I'll try but no promises. I'm also sorry about the cliff hanger endingish thingy, actually I'm not sorry. Please leave any of your thoughts or questions in the comments. Or if you want PM me. Bye...