On the way to Camp David, it was just Forbes, Mike and April in the car, giving the two some extra alone time, knowing they weren't going to get much with the whole family around. Most of the time, April read, but when Mike could distract her long enough, they would talk or make out. Whichever they felt at the moment.
When they finally got to the cabin, April and Conner were ecstatic. They immediately wanted to explore the place. There were TVs, game consoles, a gym downstairs and even a theater. There was also a huge pool in the back, but they all knew they weren't getting in that during this weather. It was practically a blizzard outside.
The Secret Service had the entire guest house right next to the main house with constant guards monitoring the outside and the inside of both cabins. Basically, it was really hard for Mike to get into April s room. April was lying on her bed with Mike lying on top of her, playing with her hair. The TV was on in her room, but neither of them were watching it. They were too distracted with each other.
"So," April spoke. "These are our last few weeks in secret."
Mike shrugged as he looked back to her. "What about it?"
"Anything you want to do that s super-secret?" She teased, moving even closer into his chest.
Mike laughed at her playful face before giving her that loving stare once again. "Not a damn thing. I don't want anything else than to come out in the open with you."
April smiled, putting her forehead to his with a loving breath. Mike moved his hand down to hers as they pulled apart, April continuing to rub calming circles on his upper arm. "So, when the divorce is final and we're out in the open, what are we gonna do?"
Mike looked up, thinking a little bit. "I was thinking we could buy a house or an apartment somewhere in DC. Close enough so both of us can commute to work without trouble."
"Where would I work?" She said it in more of a wonderment, looking off into the distance envisioning what their perfect life would look like.
"After you graduate college and you have your RN, you will be a wonderful nurse."
April looked to him with a bashful smile. She loved that he had so much faith in her. That was something she hadn't found anywhere else in any of her other boyfriends but Mike. "And my dad can come over."
"And we can go over there." Mike spoke with a shrug. "We can go visit my mom and my brother in Scotland."
April bit her lip, thinking about an international trip with just her and Mike. "We could get married." The second April whispered that out, she had no idea where it had come from. She was scared to look at Mike again, wondering if he was going to be creeped out by what she had just said.
She slowly picked up her head, her eyes taking their time to meet his gaze. When their crystal eyes finally met, Mike was looking at her in that same wonderment she had on earlier. "We could get married." He repeated, his voice soft and low, but filled with so much love.
April leaned in slightly to kiss him, but took a moment before putting his lips with hers. She took a moment to look at his eyes, assuring herself how much she loved him and how much he loved her. Her hands slowly traveled up to the back of his head, pulling him in, Mike loving the kiss, but at the same time, hating that he couldn't stare into her eyes forever.
This kiss was so much different than all of their other kisses. For the first time in their entire romantic relationship, they didn't feel like they were sneaking around. It didn't hold the thrill of a forbidden kiss, but it held nothing but that homey sense of being in love. When they pulled apart, Mike smiled at her, April smiling right back. "I love you, April Asher."
April began to fix the hair she messed up during their kiss before looking right back into those eyes she hoped she would spend the rest of her life with. "I love you, Mike Banning."
Mike and April had an early morning sparring session. That was the cover, but it wasn't too much of a lie because as soon as the two woke up, that s what they did. But that was probably the only relaxing thing that happened all day for the Asher family.
They were in and out of the cabin, meeting with diplomats, going to fundraisers. It was so exhausting, each of them fell asleep in the car at least one time. When they finally got back to the cabin for good, April and Conner both threw themselves down on the couch. Mike walked over to the two with furrowed eyebrows. "Come on, you guys, you want to go down to the theater?"
"We can't move." Conner complained, giving Mike an irritated stare.
"I'm gonna have to agree with the annoying little brother on this one."
"You're the annoying big sister." Conner complained while pushing her legs off the couch.
"Hey!" She yelled, pushing his legs right off the couch like he did.
Mike sighed, rolling his eyes slightly as the argument continued, the two now up and pushing each other's arms back. "Hey!" Ben called, walking into the room to see the two fighting. "April, Conner, stop."
They both listened to their father, letting go of each other but continuing to give each other the death stare. "Hey," they all turned to see Forbes peeking into the room. "I got the movie in for you guys, it's about to start."
April gave Mike an excited smile as she jumped up from the couch and hurried to Mike. The two were about to run downstairs, Ben watching the two, thinking back on what he saw at the concert. "Where are you two going?"
April looked back to her father, finding his suspicion well...suspicious. "We're going downstairs to watch a movie."
Maggie gave her husband a weird glance, not understanding what he was getting at. "Well, can I come too?"
April looked to Mike, knowing damn well what they were going to do in that theater was something they couldn't do with her father there. "Well, we're watching Scream and I know you don t like scary movies."
"I still want to watch it with you guys. Maggie, why don't you come too? We ll make it a family activity."
"What about me?" Conner asked, getting up from the couch excitedly at the chance of him being able to watch an R rated movie.
"Not you, buddy." Ben spoke, turning around to look at him quickly.
April continued to stand there, not sure what to do. She looked to her mother who gave her a shrug, just as confused about this as her daughter was. "Uh, sure, Dad." April finally spoke with a shrug.
"Great!" He spoke, hurrying into the kitchen. "You two go down there, Maggie and I will make the popcorn."
April turned to look at Mike, giving him an obvious forced smile as the two went downstairs to the theater. "What the hell." April spoke through her teeth.
"We have time through the rest of the trip."
"No," April complained, becoming upset about her father s intrusion. "We really don't because all we are doing is going to fundraisers and outings that we have to show up to for a photo op."
April angrily sat down at one of the seats in the theater, crossing her arms in one fluid motion, making Mike chuckle just a little bit. He slowly moved to her, still in that position as he sat down next to her, putting his arm around her causing her to lean into his body with a huff. "Does it even really matter because after this trip, we re gonna be together all the time and you re probably gonna get sick of me."
"That's true." She spoke in a dull voice as he gave her an offended face, making her smile as she looked up at him. "I love you."
"No," he spoke, taking his arm from around her. "I'm mad at you now."
"Mike," April whined through a laugh as she got up on her knees, trying to move closer to him, but he just kept backing away.
Ben began to walk into the theater with Maggie following behind him, really not wanting to get in between the two love birds. That s when the two heard the loud laughter. When they were all the way into the theater, they saw April s puckered up lips advancing towards Mike as he just leaned further away from her, laughing almost as loud as her.
Maggie smiled a little bit at the two, finding them both very cute when they were in love, but Ben felt uncomfortable, still not knowing how to act to the two being together. "I got the popcorn." He announced loudly, the two sitting up straight in their seats again.
Ben moved to the two as Maggie trailed behind just as the movie was starting, both Mike and April sharing a look before looking back to the screen. Ben got to where Mike and April were sitting, looking at Mike sitting in the seat closest to April. "Mike, mind scooting over two?" Mike and Maggie both turned to look at him like he was insane, but they had to remember that Ben didn't know anything about the two. Mike gave April a tiny, annoyed glance which she just shrugged to, almost apologetically as Mike got up and moved two seats away from his girlfriend.
Ben and Maggie sat down between the two, Ben the closest to April and Maggie next to Mike. April let out a sigh as Drew Barrymore leaned across the island, talking on the phone. "Wait," Ben spoke loudly, causing April to shut her eyes. This is why she hated watching movies with her father. "Who's the killer?"
"We don't know." Maggie answered for April as she crossed her arms getting irritated.
Ben leaned over April trying to talk to Maggie. "You two don't know or they don't know?"
"No one knows." April spoke, annoyance dripping out of every word.
"We don't know now?"
"Dad, watch the movie." April spoke while shutting her eyes and getting loud.
It was silent for a moment as the four watched the killer chasing Drew Barrymore around the house. "I just want to know who the killer is."
April let out an irritated scream, standing up and looking to her father. "It's Billy, and Stu helps him out!"
April suddenly hurried out of the room after that, Mike standing up and moving past Ben and Maggie. "I'll get her. He mumbled after getting out of the row of movie style chairs. Ben just watched him walk out as Maggie began to give him a death glare.
When Ben turned to his wife, he looked at her like he didn't know what was going on. "What did I do?"
Maggie stood up, separating the space between the two before picking popcorn out of the bowl and throwing a few bits right at Ben's face. "You know what you did."
April was standing in the hallway outside the theater, pacing in the small space. Mike got out of the theater, giving her a wild look. "What happened to not drawing any attention?"
April crossed her arms, rolling her eyes slightly. "He pissed me off."
"He's your father." Mike spoke obviously. "He's gonna do that."
April sighed, looking to Mike, not knowing what to say to him. "It's Christmas." Mike gave her a confused look which she just sighed to, knowing she would have to explain. "During Christmas, he's different, he's more appreciative, not as up tight." She bit her lip, trying to think how to phrase this next sentence. "He's not the Governor of Pennsylvania or the President of the United States, he s just...my dad."
Mike looked to her with a deep sigh, knowing this Christmas probably felt really different to April, and he wanted to do something to help, but he just didn't know what. That's when he got a pretty good idea. "Wait right here."
April gave him a confused face, but he went off before she could ask him anything. Ben and Maggie were still in the theater, half watching the movie, half waiting for April to come back. When Mike finally came back, they both turned to him excitedly. "Is she okay?" Maggie asked automatically.
"No." He spoke, quickly shutting his eyes for saying that. "Yes. Maybe. Mr. President, I need to talk to you about her." Ben gave Maggie the bowl of popcorn before getting up and following Mike.
April was still waiting in the hall, expecting Mike to come back to get her, but it was Ben instead. She looked to her father, taking a deep breath and crossing her arms even deeper. "So, Mike told me what was up with you."
April rolled her eyes at him while shaking her head. "Of course he did."
"You think he shouldn't have?"
April just shrugged, not really wanting to talk about what she thought Mike should do. "April, I'm sorry this Christmas wasn't what you were expecting, but you of all people knew that everything was going to change when I became president."
April nodded, still not really wanting to look at her father while Ben was thinking of everything he could do to make her feel better. He didn't care about not knowing about April and Mike s relationship anymore. He just wanted his daughter to be happy during what should have been the happiest time of the year. "Okay," Ben spoke, getting April's attention again. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we have one fundraiser to go to at night, why don t we leave early and watch the corniest Christmas movies?"
April got a big smile across her face causing Ben's smile to get wider with hers. "Really?"
"Yeah." Ben almost whispered, wanting to keep that smile on her face forever.
April got close to him, looking at him for a moment. "Thank you, Dad."
Ben couldn't wait another moment. He pulled her in for a large hug which April buried her head into. Ben knew he couldn't make up for how bad this vacation had been, but he could make the rest of it as best as he could.
Ben and Mike were boxing downstairs as everyone upstairs began getting ready for the party. April was doing her makeup, leaning in close to focus putting on her mascara when there was a knock on her door, making her jump. She breathed out, glad she hadn't started putting it on and accidentally poked herself in the eye.
She sighed before going to the door to answer it. Forbes stood in her doorway with a smile, holding an object in his hand. April gasped excitedly, pulling it from Forbes with a smile on her face. "You got it!"
"Yeah," Forbes sighed out as April brushed it lovingly. "And you will never know how hard it was to get that."
"Thank you." She told him before throwing her arms around him in a big hug.
Forbes smiled with a bit of an eye roll. He loved April, he wasn't going to deny it. She was the only thing that made him want to keep this job for as long as he did when Ben was elected. "You owe me one, Asher." When they pulled apart, he gestured to her face. "Now finish up your makeup unless you're going for that whole cyclops look."
He began to close the door as April picked up a pillow from her bed to throw it at him. He closed the door just in time for the pillow to hit the door.
Mike walked up to Ben and Maggie's door to alert them both on the time, hearing Maggie's voice automatically. He knocked on the door, Ben answering automatically. "Good evening, Mr. President. Five minutes, sir."
Ben gave him a big smile, thinking back on how funny it would be to see April and Mike out and about since she was so loose and he was so rigged. He shrugged it off though, guessing opposites do attract. "Thanks, Mike."
Maggie suddenly came into view, gripping two earrings, obviously flustered, but when she saw Mike, she thought the same thing Ben was thinking. "Evening, ma'am." Mike told her with a nod.
"Merry Christmas, Mike." She told him with a bright smile, bringing the earrings into view while giving Ben an irritated smirk. "The president gets us off our dependence of foreign oil yet he cannot help a wife choose an earring."
She began to put them up to her ears, giving him an example of what each would look like. Mike shrugged after studying the two. "The small one. Classic look for a classic lady."
A big smile spread across Maggie's face at that compliment while Ben rolled his eyes. No wonder April fell for him. "Good chat." She told him with a point, making sure to look at Ben at the fact that he didn't come up with something that good.
"Kiss ass." Ben commented as Mike gave him a smirk before shutting the door and letting them continue to get ready.
As he walked down the hallway, a pair of hands grabbed him, pulling him into a room and shutting the door behind him. Before Mike could even get his mind on track of what happened, a pair of lips crashed into his excitedly. He knew those lips anywhere. He closed his eyes automatically, kissing April back as hard as she was kissing him, his eyebrows going up in shock on how intimate she was being.
When April pulled away, Mike's eyes were wide as a huge smile took over her entire face. "Merry Christmas!" She told him excitedly.
Mike chuckled at how excited she looked. "Merry Christmas." He laughed out while taking in her whole body. That green dress hugged her body so tight and her red lips were glossed to perfection even if she just gave him the hardest kiss possible.
"I have your Christmas present." She whispered with an excited look on her face.
Mike gave her a bit of smirk while pulling a box out of his inner coat pocket. "And I have yours."
"Me first." April spoke before hurrying off to her bed where she was keeping it. Mike rolled his eyes, but he kept smiling at her. "Now, I didn't have time to wrap it so close your eyes.
Mike rolled his eyes, but listened to her commands. April moved toward him with a huge smile, just waiting for his reaction. She pulled his arms out, placing it in his hand so he would be able to see it the second he opened his eyes. She finally stepped back a little bit, taking in all of her wonderful work before finally saying, "Open them."
When he opened his eyes, he automatically looked to what was sitting in his hands, already getting a wide smile. "Where the hell did you get my old band s CD? I don't even have a copy." He looked to her, laughing. "We only made like a hundred of these when we found out they weren't selling. And they were only released in Scotland."
"You know what I've learned?" He gave her a confused glance, not understanding what she was getting at. "That when you're the president's daughter, you can call in a lot of favors." Mike smiled, looking back to the CD, his smile getting a little wider at how much thought and effort she put into finding it. "And it was also really cheap."
He looked to her, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. "I love it, babe."
When he pulled away from her cheek, he let his head rest there for a moment, April loving every second of it. "My turn." He whispered before pulling away from her and handing over the small jewelry box. "I hope you like it." He whispered as she began to tear off the ribbon.
April's mouth dropped the second she got it open. "Mike." She gasped, feeling tears begin to collect in her eyes at how perfect it was. She wasn't one to cry at small things like that, but this one was so different. She pulled the necklace, Mike still giving her a worried glance. "It's a cloud." She spoke through the sniffles.
"Yeah," he spoke, meeting her eyes for the first time. "The whole 'April showers' thing."
"Mike," she gasped again, looking back to her now favorite piece of jewelry.
"If you don't like it, its fine," April looked to him, shocked those words were even coming out of his mouth. "I ll take it back and I ll get you something - "
April didn't waste another minute. She wrapped her arms around Mike s neck and pulled him into a loving, soft kiss. When she pulled away, Mike was giving her a big smile, not needing any more confirmation than that. "I love it."
He put his forehead to hers, breathing her all in before speaking again. "There's more in the box."
April scrunched her eyebrows together, but looked back to the box, finding some folded up papers. She put the box down on her bed, unfolding the papers to get a better look at them. She gasped once she realized what they were. "Divorce papers?"
Mike nodded, giving her another smile. "I called my lawyer last week and I've had it all written out, all Leah has to do now is sign them."
April got a huge smile on her face, going back to him to give him another kiss. She loved how committed he was to this relationship. And the closer they were getting to leaving, the closer they were to being an actual couple. "I love you." She whispered to him, meaning every single word.
He gave her waist a light squeeze in reciprocation on her feelings. "I love you."
April broke away from him, grabbing his hand, hardly being able to wait for the feeling of being able to do this in public. They walked down the hall, still smiling at each other, but they were torn out of their moment when they heard Conner's favorite shooter game being played.
They both looked to Conner then to each other before splitting up and going to him on different sides of the couch. April took a seat on the loveseat next to him, watching him play. "You know," Mike spoke as he sat down next to Conner who was too caught up in the game while Mike picked up the remote. "The real blood bath starts when your mom catches you playing this."
Mike immediately clicked the power button, turning the entire TV off as Conner sighed, throwing his control to the side of the couch. He just looked up at Mike as Mike put the remote down next to the controller. "You suck."
Mike just grabbed the tongue of his hat, pulling it down a little bit. "Well, you suck worse." April simply smiled as Conner stood up and pouted off. She knew Mike would be a great dad one day. Hopefully to their kid.
April and Mike were standing near Conner, the two falling into their normal sarcastic banter as Ben and Maggie came into the room, talking. When Maggie saw Conner and April, she got a huge smile on her face. "Hey, loves!" April turned to her mom, giving her a smile as she put one hand on April s upper back and the other on Conner's head. "Do you two want to open a gift before we leave?"
April opened her mouth, about to answer when Conner cut her off. "It's not love." He complained, causing April to roll her eyes as the three began walking. "And I'll wait until Grandmother gets here."
April and Mike shared a look, not able to wait until they could tell Grandmother their big news. Well, the whole family their big news. They were nervous for what everyone was going to say, but they knew that everyone here had to know before their secret went public.
"I keep forgetting, sorry." Maggie apologized quickly before looking over to her husband who had just gotten off of his phone.
"Do April and I really have to come with you guys?" April turned around from her family to glance at Mike, the two sharing a sympathetic glance for Conner. "I've been to so many already."
"Being the First Son is hard work, buddy." Ben told him while rubbing his shoulder.
They each grabbed their jackets, Conner looking back to his parents. "Well, can I at least ride with Mike?"
Everyone kind of froze. They all knew April was on the top of the list to ride with Mike and once Conner asked, it was kind of a free for all. "You'll have to ask him." Ben finally spoke, giving Mike a quick glance before looking back down at his paperwork. "He's the boss."
Conner moved towards Mike, April watching her little brother as he approached her boyfriend. "Mike," he asked, looking up at him with the best puppy dog look he could manage. "Can I ride with you?"
April sighed, knowing this was hard for Conner. He hated this trip almost as much as she did. Mike quickly looked at April, not wanting to make any rash decisions without her approval. April gave him a little smile before giving him a little nod. Mike looked at him for a moment, knowing he was going to have rearrange some things. "Alright." He told him before turning around to look at Diaz. "You re riding in the Beast tonight." He told him as his face light up at the fact of being in that car. "Merry Christmas." Mike spoke before turning around.
April gave Diaz an excited smile at his exciting news while Mike went to talk with Forbes. "Excited?" April teased.
"You have no idea." Diaz almost breathed out as April laughed with him.
"Mustang," Mike spoke, capturing April's attention as she turned to look at him talking into the microphone on his watch. "This is Big Top," Mike caught her stare, causing him to smile just a little bit. He knew what that smile meant. It was her own way of saying I love you in public and Mike s smile back was his way of saying it back. "Bringing out the full package."
April got into the car with her parents while Conner got into the car with Mike, Roma and O'Neil. Conner was sitting in the back with O'Neil while Roma drove and Mike sat in the front, controlling the whole show. As soon as they were on the road, Mike spoke through his microphone, going through the last minute need-to-knows before relaxing into his seat.
Mike looked back, seeing Conner leaning forward, noticing the most important thing about that. His seatbelt wasn't on. "Conner, come on," he spoke, bringing his head back to the front. "Scoot back, put your belt on."
Conner thought for a minute on what to do, looking to him with a challenging expression. "What if I don't? You gonna tell April on me?"
"No," Mike challenged right back. "O'Neil here is gonna punch you in the nuts."
They all laughed, but Conner did as he said, Mike smiling, knowing what he was going to ask him next. "You keeping one eighty degrees of awareness."
"I thought it was three sixty."
Mike smirked, glad he picked up on that trick question. "Just checking."
"You're setting me up is what you're doing." Conner complained. "And yes, I've kept enough degrees of awareness to notice you sneaking into April's room last night."
Roma and O'Neil each laughed, but Mike turned around to look at Conner, eyes wide. "Literally everyone knows, Mike." Conner laughed out from the look of his face.
Mike turned back to look at Roma who was still chuckling. "Does everyone really know?"
"Yes." O'Neil and Roma both spoke at the same time.
Mike looked forward, shrugging with a bit of a smile on his face, knowing it was understandable especially during their break. "So," Mike spoke loudly, ready to change the subject. "How many emergency exits in the West Wing?"
"Eight." Conner spoke immediately.
Mike continued to question him, Conner answering every question with perfection as fast as possible. "Not bad." Roma spoke while giving Mike an impressed stare at everything he had taught Conner.
"Kid's got it, huh?" He asked Roma while he continued to shake his head in approval. "Yeah," Mike spoke, almost bragging on him and Conner. "We're gonna make a Secret Service agent out of you yet."
Mike turned back to Conner, giving him a wink, making Conner smile just a little more. That's why Mike had always been his favorite. He made him feel special. "You just have to remember to keep your seatbelt on." O'Neil spoke while looking over to him with a teasing smile.
"That's right." Mike agreed, leaning into his seat with a smile. He knew some people knew about him and April, but he didn't know everyone knew. At least it would be easier coming out in the next few weeks.
April was sitting on the right side of her father while her mother sat on the left. April had immediately put on her cloud necklace, playing with it as she watched the snow fall down around them. She personally couldn't wait for what was going to happen after the fundraiser. Her whole family curled up on the couch watching Christmas movies with Mike by her side. She could almost feel the warmth of his hand in her own, making a smile tug at her lips.
"Wow, it's really coming down out there." Maggie then heard a very familiar conjoined hum. When she looked to her two family members, both of them nose deep in the files Ben had brought with him. Even when April was a little girl she tried to help her father with his work, but now that she was old enough to understand his work, she was always the first person he called for help. Unfortunately in her mother's situation, April had inherited her father s work ethic. "I'm thinking about shaving my head." She tried out, waiting for what their responses would be.
"That sounds good."
"Yeah, that would look cute, Mom."
Maggie rolled her eyes at her favorite workaholics before looking back out the window. The snow began to fall down a little harder as the wind began to pick up, causing all the cars to begin to slow down. April looked up at the sight of that and then heard her mother say, "Merry Christmas, Mr. President."
Both April and Ben turned to Maggie to see her pushing a gift box to Ben. "You shouldn't have." Ben spoke as he began to open up the gift. April began to smile, knowing exactly what her mother had gotten him. When he finally got it all the way open, he gasped at the look of it. "My god, my grandfather s watch." He whispered before looking to April as she shrugged and then Maggie. "Where did you find this?"
"I have my ways." She spoke, giving April a quick wink.
Ben then leaned forward, getting as close to her face as possible before whispering, "Thank you."
They began to kiss, April turning her head in disgust. "You're so welcome."
"I'm right here!" April complained, the both of them laughing as they pulled away. Ben then put his arm around April, causing her to roll her eyes as he planted a large kiss on her cheek.
Ben turned to see Diaz, still looking excited to ride in the Beast. "Have you ever been to a billionaire's Christmas party before, Diaz?"
"No sir." Diaz spoke, looking to the three in the rearview mirror.
"They're overrated." April complained before her father could say anything respectful.
That's when Ben removed his arm from April's to push her head to the side, and while doing that, he grabbed Maggie's present from where it was hidden. "Oh, my gosh, would you look at that?" He handed her the gift box as she gave him a happy smile. He leaned in, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek as she began to open it up. "Merry Christmas."
"Your presents are next, April, I promise." Maggie spoke, giving her daughter a big smile. It was a great moment and April was laughing until a branch hit the windshield of the car in front of them, causing them to slam their breaks and swerve. The Beast couldn't stop fast enough, slamming into the car.
All Mike could do was watch. "Stop, stop, stop!" Mike yelled on his radio, alerting the others as Roma slowly pushed on the breaks. The Beast swerved, Maggie slamming her head into the window. April watched as the car in front of them flew off the bridge, panic registering in her heart, not remembering if Mike and Conner were in the car in front or behind them. "MIKE!" She screamed as soon as the Beast swerved and hit the bridge, the front part of the car hanging in the air and April's head hitting the side of the car.
Maggie had blood trickling down her cheek from her head hitting the windshield and April's seatbelt had locked, having her torso hanging as most of the weight was tipping them forward and she was too unconscious to sit up. Mike threw the door open, knowing April was in that car. "Take Conner. Mike told O'Neil immediately before hurrying off to save her. Mike felt his heart squeeze in his chest while it felt like an eternity to get to the car.
Maggie looked to her right to see April dangling there unconscious while Ben focused on if Maggie was okay. "April." She moaned out, Ben now turning his attention to his daughter.
"April," Ben spoke, bringing her head up in hopes it would wake her up, but her head just fell back.
That's when Mike showed up on the right side of the door, trying to open it, but it was almost frozen shut. He could see April unconscious in there. She looked dead and he prayed to God she wasn't. "Get on the back!" Mike commanded, trying to balance out the weight and keep the car from falling.
Mike finally pried the door open, using all of his strength. He half sat on the seat, seeing April s lifeless body. "Oh, my god." Mike cried out, his chest tightening while taking her face in his hands, trying to find some sign of life in her, noticing the huge burn mark on her chest from the seatbelt, blood already trickling down it.
"Get her out of here!" Ben screamed, he was only going to focus on April until she got out of the car.
Her eyes fluttered open, Mike gasping once she finally showed she was alive. "Mike." She whispered out.
"Oh, thank god." He whispered, pulling her to his chest and undoing her seatbelt before pulling her out of the car. He took her a couple feet away from the car before setting her down, looking to her before hurrying back to the car. "I'm gonna go back to the car and I'm gonna get your mom and dad out of there."
"No, Mike," she spoke, her voice gravely and dazed as she gripped onto his jacket with amazing strength. "Do-don t leave me."
"I have to, baby." He spoke before pulling her fingers off of him, getting up and running back to the car.
All April could do was watch him, finally starting to come back to her senses. "Mike." She whispered, knowing how dangerous it was for him to get into that car. "Mike!" She screamed, trying to get up and go after him, but O'Neil showed up behind her, grabbing her at the waist. "MIKE!"
Mike got back to the car, taking in what was going on before deciding how to react. Roma had to get that left door open eventually, meaning his only job right now was to get the President out of there. "Sir," Mike spoke, putting a hand out for Ben.
Ben was currently focused on getting Maggie out of there, trying her seatbelt, but it wouldn't budge. "Her seatbelt is stuck!" He yelled to Mike.
Mike looked at the First Lady, knowing she was in a really bad condition, maybe even worse than April's. "Sir, get out of the car, I'll take care of her!"
Ben still wasn't moving. Roma was just barely getting her side door open. "Roma, open the fucking door!" He screamed to him.
"I can't!" He yelled as more agents tried to climb on the trunk of the car. "It's jammed! It's fucking jammed!" He was still trying to get through, just getting his arm through. "Pull her through on your side!"
"Shit." Mike cursed before getting all the way in the car just as the car tipped a little more forward. Both Ben and Mike looked to each other, sharing a fear filled stare before continuing to work on getting Maggie out. Mike pulled out his pocket knife, but the car just continued to sink down.
"Get Maggie!" Ben yelled to him.
Mike sat there for a moment, taking in the situation. The car was going down and it was the President and the First Lady going down with it. He could only save one, and he knew it had to be the President. "Shit." Mike cursed before moving to Ben's seatbelt, cutting it off. "Sir, I m sorry." He spoke before pulling Ben out of the car as Ben tried to hold onto Maggie's hand and pull her out too, but Mike was too strong and Maggie couldn't go anywhere even if it was a bull pulling him out.
The two landed on the road just as the car fell off the bridge, landing on the icy river, killing everyone in the car instantly. Ben straightened up the moment he heard the crash. "NO!" He screamed.
April fell to the ground, O'Neil still holding onto her waist, letting go from shock, letting the reality of the situation sink in. April then began crawling to where Mike laid, the guilt settling into the bottom of his stomach. Secret Service agents had to pull Ben back from going to the edge of the bridge just as Conner got out of the car he was told to stay in. April made it to Mike, looking to him for a moment as tears filled her eyes. She then collapsed into his chest, holding onto him as tight as she could, almost like she was scared the bridge would take him too. Conner looked around at everyone before him, taking in the sight, knowing one very important person was missing. "MOM!"
April and Mike turned to look at Conner just as O'Neil picked him up. April's mouth fell, it truly registering for her that her mother was gone. She remembered how she looked just as the car crashed. She had fear in her eyes and blood running down her face. That was the last image she had of her mother. Not the wonderful nurturer she knew her whole life or her gorgeous smile, but the fear of death plastered over her face.
She buried her head even deeper into Mike as he held onto her, comforting her, but also himself. He let the First Lady die. April's mother. Margret Asher. Someone he had come to know as a friend. She was now dead and he could have saved her. He knew he shouldn't blame himself and he knew he did the right thing, but doing the right thing wasn't always the best thing.
kgriswold249: I've been super busy lately and I promise you I'm working on that stuff for you! I should be able to get it to you within the next week
Mrs. HappyAnarchy: Ugh, I know! Camp David breaks my heart. You don't know how heartbroken I was to write this chapter. Maggie will be very missed!
MisfitCarter: Hahaha I knew that would be a fun one to throw in there for you guys. Thanks so much for your continued support!
BakuganShari: Thanks so much for the review, honey! I will be writing a little more on the year and a half between the accident and the attack, but the movie portions should be up by the end of summer
NGArmyWife: Thank you, love! Your reviews always make my day!
Mance: Thanks so much. I've never really thought of writing a Game of Thrones fic, but it is one of my favorite shows. Who knows? Maybe someday. And also thanks for giving my TW story some love. It hasn't been getting much lately.
Ugh, this chapter broke my heart, you guys, but I really hope you like it. We won't be jumping right into the rest of the events with the movie. There's going to be more happening in the year and a half before the attack on the White House meaning more Mike/April moments which I hope you will all enjoy! Remember to review and I hope you all have a wonderful day/night whatever time you're reading this!