LOST FOR WORDS

"Andi's sister? I didn't know she had one!" said Abbey, surprised. She sat down and motioned the others to do likewise. "Have you called her? Is she on her way over?" Toby looked at his feet.

Clearing her throat, CJ said "They haven't spoken in a while…there was.."

"What CJ's trying to say is Jilly and her family, such as they are, are estranged. For the last three years, actually." Toby sighed. "She's on her way, but only because I asked her to come. She doesn't know why. Otherwise she would probably not have come. Well, definitely…"

"Does my husband know what a devious set of staffers he has?" she asked archly

"I'm glad you can find the humour, ma'am in our, uhm...situation but" Toby began

"Oh stop it Toby, you blew your hard exterior with me the moment you picked her up. Whatever happened you were obviously close once. I haven't raised three daughters without seeing that same look of paternal love in Jed's eyes and it's the same look you have now. CJ, where do you fit into this Masterpiece Theatre?" Abbey asked.

"From before…Andi, Toby and I…Jilly lived with them for a couple of years so I got to know her pretty well. And she lived with me, for a while. I found her in the park this morning. But I haven't seen or heard from her for three years." she replied.

A sound from the next room caught Abbey's ear and she hurried through, CJ and Toby following her. Jilly was moaning softly, moving around the bed, the beginnings of another dream disturbing her. Abbey went back to the bathroom.

"She didn't tell you the last one. That's why it's happening again." Toby said, sitting on the bed. "Jilly, wake up sweetheart" he held her hand, disentangling the IV tube which had become wrapped around her arm with the squirming. Without waking, she quietened down again. Abbey came out of the bathroom and placed a hand to the girl's forehead. "I don't like this...it's up again." She laid a cool flannel on her forehead. "How long till Andi gets here?"

Toby looked at his watch "maybe five minutes?"

"You better get down there. CJ, you stay here. I'm going to fill Jed in. And don't worry, Toby, I'll spare him the details but he needs to know two of his staff won't be back at work today." she smiled, knowing how much he hated airing his personal life.

Toby sighed and walked to the door, stopping to turn to Abbey. "Thank you" he said simply, before leaving. Abbey smiled and turned to the girl. Lifting the flannel she unfolded it and gently ran it over Jilly's flushed face. Jilly sleepily opened her eyes. Abbey smiled comfortingly at the girl, before lifting her wrist to check her pulse. CJ kicked off her shoes, and lay down on the bed next to Jilly, pressed against her back, her cheek resting on the girl's head, arm around her waist.

"It's a little stronger," said Abbey, lying Jilly's arm down "but I don't like this temperature. We've got to break it before much longer."

CJ took Jilly's hand and brought it back to the comforter, her hand covering the smaller one as it fingered the material again, before drawing the material to her face, her fingers linked with CJ's. Abbey looked at them and knew that, like Toby, they had been here before. Quietly she left the room.

Toby paced nervously around his office waiting for Andi, trying to form the conversation in his head. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure how it was going to end and he didn't know what he could say that would change the outcome. The door opened and Andi came in. "Hey" she said.

He stopped mid-pace and looked at her, stunned again by the similarity between them now Jilly was a little older.

Andi looked at him with a slight frown "Toby...what's wrong? You sounded odd on the phone so I came straight over..."

He gestured for her to sit on the couch, and sat on the low table in front of her. For a man who made a living putting words into the President's mouth, his own was devoid of any.

"Honey? You're actually lost for words?" said Andi, half-joking, but worried.

"I've got something important to tell you, but I need you to promise me something."

"Well that doesn't sound like something I'd do, does it?" she asked

He smiled slightly, then sighed. "Please Andi. Promise me you will listen to everything I have to say and not fly out the door in a rage half-way through." he asked.

Andi looked him straight in the eye. She knew he was being serious and that whatever he had to say was bothering him. "Sure."

"Say you promise." he said, returning her gaze.

"I promise." she said simply.

He took a deep breath and jumped in. "Jilly's here. She's in the Residence" he got no further, as Andi leapt up, stopping him. He grabbed hold of her, forcing her back onto the couch. "No" he said urgently, "You promised you would sit there and listen to me!" he said.

"Well that was a pretty lousy trick! You knew if you told me what it was about I wouldn't stay!" she yelled at him.

"Yes I did, Andrea and that's why I didn't tell you, so just summon up some self-control and sit there and listen to me!" he yelled back. He sat back down on the table, still holding Andi's arms. "Look," he said, quieter now. "I reacted the same way when I found out. CJ found her in the park and took her to her office. Gave her some tea. She was sick, then fell asleep. CJ was trying to hide her from me, but I went in and saw them. Came back here to brood but CJ followed. Yelled at me a bit, like she does. And gave me this. It's the only thing Jilly had on her." He took the photo out his pocket, holding it out to Andi. She looked at it, but would not take it. He tried again. "She had a nightmare, we had to wake her, she was sick again, and Abbey came in. She went to give her an injection…oh God Andi…she has lost so much weight…and she has these marks and bruises…Abbey says she's really sick. She put her in Zoe's room. She's on an IV drip. CJ's with her now." He ground to a halt, exhausted as much by his own emotions as by trying to get through to his ex-wife.

"Are you finished?" she asked

"Yeah" he said, taking his hand off her arm.

Andi got up and quietly left his office, without glancing back or waiting for him. He ran after her, "Andrea…Andi, wait up" he begged, "Go look at her, at least. You don't have to talk to her, just see her."

Andi kept walking and only turned round as she reached the door. She looked at him, her face white, a vivid contrast to her blazing hair. "It was a lousy trick." she said, before leaving.

Toby watched her leave with a heavy heart. He knew that this would be the outcome but was still disappointed. Sighing, he headed for the Residence to break the news to Abbey.