The shadows around her grew deeper and she realized that it was getting late. The bus had come and gone so many times she'd lost count. It took her a few minutes to realize that she was being watched.
Stevie McCord was, despite the years on the farm, a city kid. She'd spent the first eight years of her life not too far from where her parents now lived. She understood the importance of paying attention to her surroundings.
Her father had spent hours teaching them defensive moves. She remembered clearly, standing in the living room as he very seriously showed her how to break someone's jaw.
"Henry!" Her mother had said, interrupting him. "Maybe start with something less violent. She's only eight! You want her to end a kickball disagreement this way?"
"Honey, she knows it is just for bad people." He said.
"What bad people?" Stevie asked. "You said there was no such things as monsters."
Now, here she was twenty-one years old, failing to pay attention to the dangers around her. She could sense a presence behind her and to her left. Keeping her bag tight against her body, she slid to the far right edge of the bench and rose quickly.
"Wait!" A male voice called from behind her.
She increased her pace slightly, not quite ready to run.
"Stevie! Stevie wait."
"Damn!" She thought, sure that if she turned her head she would see yet another reporter.
"Look, I'm just trying to . . ." Her eyes grew wide with shock as she turned in the direction of the voice. "What are you doing here?"
***MS***
She had known it would be like this. It seemed to be the way things worked out lately. Elizabeth McCord sank back in her seat as the plane increased the distance between her and her family. They had been able to hammer out a deal with everyone just twenty-four hours before she was due to leave for a trip to Nepal - one that she'd already postponed twice. Resigned, she took the little time she had been given and used up every single second.
She'd been released from her prison of work, just in time to catch Ali's track meet. Frank had silently glared at her for her a solid minute when she pointed this out to the Diplomatic Service Agents, but recognizing that telling her no was a lost cause, they'd scrambled to make it possible for her to watch Alison run.
Normally, seeing her mother's Moving Fortress, as Henry called them, would irritate and embarrass, Ali, but she actually jumped up and down with joy. Ignoring her coach completely, she ran across the field to her mother, her arms open.
"Mom!" She shouted gleefully. "You came!"
"I did." She said kissing her. "Sorry about the show." She indicated the agents behind her.
"I don't care! You are here!"
It made her eyes sting with tears that her sixteen year old would show so much joy to see her there. It made her recognize how out-of-control things had become.
"Noodle, your coach is waving to you. You have a race, now?" She nodded behind her daughter.
"Oh, crap!" Alison's eyes grew big. "I better go!" She kissed her mother's cheek. "Thanks, Mom. I'm so happy you are here!"
"I love you, Noodle." She said, hoping that she hadn't pushed things too far; you could never tell with a teenage girl. But instead of blushing or complaining, Alison turned back and squeezed her mother in a tight hug.
"I love you too, Mom."
She had spent several of her precious few hours, sitting in the warm sun, watching Alison run on long legs around a track. She fought to be present in the moment, as a million things yet to be done floated around in her brain. She closed her eyes briefly, as they set up for the relay race, of which Alison ran anchor, when someone sat close beside her. She smiled even before her eyes were open. Her agents would never let anyone near her, and as he sat she immediately recognized the familiar scent of his cologne.
"Henry Patrick McCord." She said opening her eyes and turning to face him. "I can't say how happy I am to see you."
"Elizabeth," He said with a polite nod. "I feel the same way." He laughed, relaxing and pulling her in, kissed her. "We have actual hours together before you go! I'm so happy I could cry."
"Marines don't cry." She teased him, but winced realizing that the very first time she'd said that to him, was the day Stevie was born.
"Ooh rah!" He said moving in for another kiss.
They had sat in the sun, watching Alison's final race, hand-in-hand, talking quietly. She was filled with such a glorious happiness that she could almost forget the pain of Stevie's absence; almost.
"I've left four messages," He told her quietly. "I don't know."
"Maybe we just have to give her some time. I've called six times, but I didn't . . . I only left one message. I don't know, Henry."
"Me, either." He sighed and she reached out to rub the side of his face with her hand.
"I guess we just endure." She shrugged.
"We hold on to the hope of better days." He said to her.
They didn't speak of it again, trying to focus on Alison, the beautiful afternoon, and the fact that they would be together until six a.m. when she had to leave him again. All three of them rode home together, Alison opting to leave with her parents, rather than the track team. She sat between them, glowing in the recognition and praise of her parents. Elizabeth was stunned to see that her sixteen year old didn't reach for her cell phone once, during the ride to the house.
"I must stink." Alison said as the car rolled toward Georgetown.
"You do." Henry teased her. "I didn't want to say anything before, but now that you mention it. . ."
"There's a whole other seat over there." She told him, indicating the empty seat across from them.
"I like it here." Henry said, kissing her forehead.
Smiling, Alison rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "I can't believe you actually came." She said softly. "Thanks Mom."
"I'd be there for every meet if I could, Noodle." Elizabeth said, kissing her forehead. She glanced at Henry who watched them with a smile.
"If you could, you'd be my coach." Alison laughed.
"I could show you how to run those hurdles," Elizabeth teased.
"Maybe how to throw the discus." Her daughter sat up shaking her head. "I'm not complaining, Mom." She added thoughtfully. "I hope it doesn't sound that way. I'm just grateful. I know I'm lucky. You and Dad are weird but I know you are proud of me and love me." Her eyes grew big as her mother's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, I didnt . . ."
"No." Elizabeth said, shaking her head. She wanted to explain but found she was briefly incapable of words.
"Those are happy, tears, hon." Henry told Allison, reaching out and squeezing his wife's shoulder. "She's as grateful as you are, times about a million, I imagine." He winked at Elizabeth.
"I just . . . it seems more important to say things, don't you think?" She looked up at her father with wise brown eyes.
"It does." He agreed.
Alison settled back on her mother's shoulder. "I just wish Stevie had come over and talked to you guys." She sighed. "She's so stubborn."
"Talked to us?" Elizabeth asked. "What do you mean?" She pushed her daughter up off her shoulder so she could face her. "Honey, was Stevie at your meet?"
"She was on the opposite side, sitting with the other team." She looked at her parents. "I thought you guys saw her, or your agents did."
"No." Henry answered softly. "I would've . . .we would've gone to her."
"I'm sorry." Alison said. "I didn't notice her until the relay, and I couldn't . . ."
"It isn't your job." Her mother said, pulling her back down onto her shoulder. "Don't apologize. Things will work out with your sister, when the time is right - when she is ready."
"She's ready now. She feels awful about that night. She just gets so stubborn." Ali told them. "She hates disappointing you guys - we all do."
"None of you have ever disappointed us." Elizabeth told her daughter, resting her cheek against her daughter's forehead. "I'm the luckiest mother who ever lived." Her eyes met Henry's. "We are the luckiest parents."
"We are." He agreed.
***MS***
"What are you doing here?" Stevie asked again.
"Well, I was on my way to round up some coffee for your mother," Blake Moran said stepping closer to Stevie. "That building is where I work." He studied Stevie thoughtfully. "She's trapped in meetings but if you really need to see her . . ."
"No, I was just waiting for the bus." Stevie lied.
"The bus came twice while you were sitting there." He pointed out.
"Yeah." She could think of no explanation. She felt so tired.
"Hey, listen," Blake said gently. "Why don't you come along with me? I'm sure you have a ton of places to go and things to do, but I wouldn't mind the company. I've got to get about fifteen coffees, so I could use a hand."
"I won't carry them upstairs." She said nodding at the building across from them.
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of asking you to do that. Would you be willing to carry them back to the street, here?"
"Sure."
"I appreciate it." He remarked with a grin. "Come on, kid. You know how your Mom is without her coffee."
***MS***
Elizabeth McCord, drifted drowsy with sleep. She rolled over studying the clock. It was 1:37 a.m. She closed her eyes, but opened them again when she felt Henry shift and move from the bed. She rolled over onto her back, studying the ceiling for a few minutes. Grabbing her nightgown, and robe, she dressed and then followed him downstairs.
"Mom and I really miss you, kid." She heard Henry's quiet voice. "I'm really sorry about what happened. We need to talk about it. This staying away isn't any solution that we can live with, Stephy. It's hurting your Mom; it hurts me. I know we've got a lot of stuff to talk about and maybe I haven't done a good job of listening, I don't know. I just know, that we love you. Listen, if you are too mad at me, could you at least call her? She loves you so much, honey. Just leave a message or something - it would mean so much." He looked up and saw Elizabeth, and blushed slightly, ducking his head embarrassed. "Okay, well, just think about it, okay?" He hung up the phone and stared at her sheepishly.
"I know," He said. "I'm breaking all the rules. It's stupid. If I beg her to come home . . ."
"There aren't any rules to govern the heart." She said, stepping closer, and wrapping her arm around his shoulder. "You don't have to hide from me, Henry. I've called her six times today."
He grinned and kissed her, resting his forehead against hers, as he released her. "I wish you weren't leaving in the morning."
"It is morning." She whispered.
He glanced at his watch. "Not yet. I've got four hours with you still." He wrapped his arms around her.
"It's just a quick trip." She said, more to herself than to him. "I'll be back and then we can work out this Stevie mess together."
"I love a woman with a plan." He said kissing her cheek. He swayed gently with her in his arms. "I should cancel my classes and tag along."
"Don't even tempt me." She said settling her head on his shoulder.
"I would, babe, but it's hard to justify getting a sub for midterms."
"Your problem, Professor," She said looking up at him. "Is you have entirely too much professional integrity."
"I do." He agreed with a grin. He leaned in kissing her again. "My biggest problem, is I'm desperately in love with the smartest woman on the planet, who is therefore in great demand to maintain its safety." He lifted his arm, spinning her in a circle before pulling her back into his arm, as they swayed together in the dark living room; dancing without any music except the united beating of their hearts.
***MS***
"Ma'am," Blake said handing her a stack of files. "Here's everything you asked for and also I included that cable from the Italians. I thought you'd want to read over it since you'll have some time."
"Thanks, Blake." She accepted the files and added them to her briefcase. "I guess that's everything."
"Yes, ma'am. The car's already waiting." He hesitated a moment.
"Is something wrong?" She furrowed her brows. "Blake, if you need to take care of something or stay behind, you just need to communicate it. I'm not a tyrant."
"No, ma'am, you aren't." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "No, it isn't anything like that. It's just . . . a little . . . awkward."
"Are you pregnant?" She asked teasing him.
"Not that i'm aware of, ma'am." He grinned at her. "Wait, do I look fat?"
"Blake, not four days ago, you were digging around in my underwear drawer. I think we passed awkward months ago!"
"Let's not discuss, that." He said looking down. "No, ma'am, this is about Stevie."
Her head snapped up, all laughter gone from her face. "What about her? Is she okay?"
"She's fine, but . . ." He cleared his throat. "I know how worried you are, and I've told her repeatedly, no demanded repeatedly, that she call you or Dr. McCord, but near as I can tell she hasn't."
"You know where she is?" Elizabeth leaned forward.
"Yes, and that's why I wanted to . . ." He lifted a hand, rubbing the back of his neck, nervously. "I wanted you to know that she's fine. She's safe, and she's as sad and worried as you are."
"Where is she?"
"Well, and this is very awkward," He told her. "She's at my condo."
Elizabeth's eyes grew wide with shock. "What?!"
"I found her sitting outside one night, looking just, well, you know." He shrugged his shoulders. "She didn't have anywhere to go. I tried, unsuccessfully, to talk her into going home, but she is really, very . . . determined."
"Stubborn." Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know where it comes from." She smiled wryly at her assistant.
"Genetic mutation." He offered. "She's been there for the last two days, ma'am. I know how worried you and Dr. McCord are, and I wanted to say something to ease your mind but it's really . . ."
"Awkward." She finished for him.
"Ma'am, I would never want to intrude or doing anything that displeases you, but I couldn't just send her out into the night alone."
"No, don't apologize." She said reaching out and squeezing his arm. "I'm grateful. I'm stunned actually. This goes well beyond the call of duty. Harboring your bosses stubborn offspring wasn't on the list of expectations for this job."
"No, ma'am. Neither is spending thirty-six hours desperately praying for your safe return." He added quietly. "We've left the bounds of normal expectations awhile back, I think."
She said nothing for a long minute, looking up into his face. Finally, she turned gathering her briefcase and purse. She reached out, a hand on his arm, "Blake Moran, it is going to break my heart when you finally move on from this job. I will never be able to replace you." She smiled up at him, and walked past him and out the door of her office.
"Wait, why am I leaving?" He asked following after her. She paused just outside her office to turn and face him.
"You are too intelligent, capable and talented to spend your life standing next to someone as their assistant." She told him. "It would be a waste for you to spend your career just behind me and to my left. Someday, you'll have a seat at the table."
His face showed surprise and he found himself speechless. She smiled at him and then continued walking out toward the elevators, he paused to grab his bag, and followed her inside, reaching out to push the button for her.
"So, if I'm interpreting things correctly, Madam Secretary," He told her as they stood side-by-side in the elevator. "You aren't angry with me for harboring your rebellious offspring?"
"Well, I wasn't." She glanced over at him. "But when you put it like that. . ."
"I should learn to quit while I'm ahead." He remarked.
"You really should." She agreed.