Abbey opened her eyes when there was a slight drop in the plane's altitude. Confused for a moment, she looked around and then saw that she was still in the lounge area of the plane. But her seat had been tilted back and a navy blue blanket was draped around her. Jed was sitting across from her, gazing out of the window, his chin resting on his hand.

"I fell asleep?" she asked vaguely.

He looked round at her and smiled. "Yes, you did."

Then she remembered. She had suggested that they went to the bedroom but Jed had said no. "We'll go to bed when we get there," he'd said. "When there's just the two of us."

"Jed, there're always going to be agents somewhere near us."

He'd nodded, "Yeah, but where we're going, they're not gonna be standing right outside the bedroom door."

Now she looked across at him. "Did you get any sleep?" she asked.

"No," he admitted, "I had a shower and a shave instead. My brain wouldn't switch off. But it will – later."

"You bet it will, lover boy." Abbey's green eyes glinted and Jed laughed.

"You aiming to seduce me then?"

"Whatever it takes! I mean of course to switch off your brain, you understand?"

"Of course."

Their eyes held for a few moments, amusement flashing between them with the perfect understanding that came from forty years of loving each other.

Abbey pushed aside the blanket and tried to smooth her creased skirt. "I look shot to hell. Do I need to change before we land?"

Jed shook his head. "Nope. No-one's gonna see you except the driver."

"Driver?"

"Yeah – I guessed you wouldn't be too happy about me driving just yet, so we have a driver for tonight."

"And just how far are we being driven?"

"Sorry, babe, it's gonna be about an hour from the airport."

"Okay." She stood up and headed towards the bathroom. "I do need to freshen up and put a brush through my hair before we land though."

As she came back into the cabin, the captain's voice came over the speakers. "Preparing for landing, please fasten your seat belts."

Abbey returned her seat to its upright position, and clicked her seat belt in position as Jed did the same. She turned to look out of the window.

"It's kinda dark out there. No city then?"

"No city," Jed confirmed.

Abbey's brow creased into a frown. "You know, I still can't work this one out."

"You will soon."

The plane touched down smoothly and they both gripped the arms of their seats as the reverse thrust slowed it down to taxi-ing speed.

"Damn," Abbey complained, "these windows are on the wrong side to see the airport building."

Jed laughed. "You can't blame me for that – if the wind had been in the opposite direction, we'd have landed from the other end of the runway. It's because–"

"No, no, NO!" Abbey put her hands to her ears. "I truly cannot cope with any nerd talk about air pressure on top of wings or under wings – or whatever other aeronautical techno-speak you want to confuse me with."

"Plane's turning now, Abbey."

Abbey watched through the window as the plane turned off the runway and eventually the airport building came into sight.

"Oh – my – God," she breathed, when finally the word 'Shannon' showed up in large letters on the roof of the building.

Jed had been watching her, and she turned back from the window to meet his eyes. "Ireland," she said softly, then shook her head slightly. "How in heaven's name did I not guess it would be Ireland?"

For a moment, Jed's eyes looked anxious. "So – is it the right place?"

Abbey nodded and smiled. "Yes – of course it is. Where else?"

Jed nodded too. "Yeah," he said.

Air Force One had its own retractable stairway which operated as soon as the plane came to a standstill. As Jed and Abbey approached the open door, Mike was already standing there.

Jed held out his hand. "Thanks, Mike."

"It's been a pleasure, Mr President. Mrs Bartlet."

Abbey shook his hand too and smiled. "Thank you, Mike – though I'm not sure I'm gonna forgive you for collaborating with my husband in this conspiracy!"

"I think I can live with that, ma'am! Have a good vacation, both of you," the Captain said with a smile. "You deserve it."

It felt strange somehow, walking down the steps without seeing the blue and red lights of the police escort and without the accompaniment of flashes from press cameras or a crowd of people waiting to greet them. Just two unmarked black cars were drawn up at the foot of the steps and immediately Air Force One's baggage handlers were loading bags into the trunks of both cars.

"Well, at least our baggage has arrived," Jed commented lightly as he held out his hand to Abbey at the foot of the steps. "Thanks, Charlie," he said as the agent opened the door for them.

Charlie Tynan, the head of their new Secret Service detail, slipped into the front seat next to the driver, the other three agents made their way to the second car, and within minutes both cars were on their way around the airport building and on to the darkened road.

Jed's hand found Abbey's. "Okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry it's such a long drive – but it'll be worth it, I promise you."

Releasing her hand, he slipped his arm around her and Abbey leant against him. "I love you, Jed Bartlet."

"Love you too."

Jed squeezed her shoulder, and then tilted his head so it was resting against hers. He drew in a deep breath. "Just the two of us – soon, real soon…"

His voice trailed off, and as his breathing gradually evened, Abbey realised that he had dozed off. She smiled to herself and nestled against his shoulder until the movement of the car lulled her into drowsiness too.

"Mr President, we're here, sir."

Jed forced his eyes open as the driver opened the car door.

"Okay," he said automatically. He shook Abbey slightly. "Abbey–"

"Mmm, what?"

"C'mon, we're here."

The sky was still dark as they stepped out of the car. But the headlights from both cars lit up a long low cottage in front of them, with white-washed stone and a thatched roof. Its door was offset to the right, and there were three windows – two on one side of the door, one on the other.

"Our very own White House," Jed said with a smile. "It's called West Cottage – I thought that was rather appropriate!" Then he turned to the Secret Service agents who had done a fast sweep of the cottage. "OK, guys, your place is just over there," he pointed to another similar cottage just a short distance away. "That's East Cottage – so enjoy your sleep – and rest assured, we are not going to be stirring until midday Irish time at the very earliest!"

The agent handed Jed the key for the cottage, and he caught hold of Abbey's hand as they went inside, finding themselves in a large but cosy sitting room, with unevenly plastered walls and dark oak beams. At one end was an ancient stone hearth with an iron burner that exuded a rich peat-scented warmth. There were two well-stuffed dark red couches, a couple of low occasional tables, an antique oak table in one corner and four chairs with iron-wrought backs, and an oak dresser in the other corner.

The driver carried their bags into the room. "Excuse me, sir, where do you want these."

"Just leave them there, thanks. You'll bring the other car later?"

"To be sure, sir – I'll just put the keys through the door."

"Okay, thank you."

As the driver closed the door, Jed looked round at Abbey. "Do you want a hot drink – or shall we go to bed?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

Jed led the way through one of the doors off the sitting room, into the bedroom with a king-sized bed that had a patchwork covered duvet and a mass of white pillows.

Abbey frowned slightly. "Jed, how come you know this place? How did you know where the bedroom was?"

Jed shot her a quick glance. "I found it on the internet."

"What?" Abbey knew all too well that, for all his knowledge and intelligence, Jed had no real expertise with computers or the internet. He left all that to his staff.

"Okay," he said with a grin. "Debbie found it actually – but only after I had given her all the details of what I wanted. Then she showed me photos of it on the computer – and a plan of the layout too. It seemed ideal – so I booked it."

"YOU booked it?"

"Well, when I say I booked it–"

"Debbie booked it, right?"

"Yeah," Jed admitted. "And the cars – and the drivers too." He turned to her. "But d'you like it?"

"I love it."

"Good. Let's go to bed."

"Just a minute! Do I have any nightwear in any of those bags?"

"Probably not – so let's go to bed!"

"Great! Well, at least I have a toothbrush in my flight bag. Where's the bathroom?"

"That door," Jed said, pointing.

"Okay."

As Abbey emerged from the bathroom after a quick shower, she stopped and then smiled. Jed had managed to undress – his clothes were in an untidy heap on the floor by the side of the bed – but then it looked as though he had simply dropped down on to the bed and fallen asleep immediately. His eyes were closed and she could see the gentle rising and falling of his chest.

Carefully she pulled the duvet up around him and, almost childlike, he snuggled deeper into the pillows. As she climbed into the bed beside him, he stirred and turned towards her.

"Could jump you–" he murmured drowsily.

Abbey smiled. "Sleep, honey," she whispered, pushing back the strands of hair that had fallen over his forehead and then stroking the side of his face softly. "We've got all the time in the world now."

TBC