Jed sat in his office for a long time after Abbey left, his drink untouched in his hand, staring into space. It was Leo who found him there. "Sir? The staff is worried something happened."

Jed laughed hollowly. "Something did."

"You're evidently up in you're head. Did you and Abbey have a fight?" Leo came and sat himself down across from the President. Jed shook his head.

"We had a discussion."

"A discussion." Leo affirmed, alarmed by the President's lack of emotion.

"A discussion about how she is having an affair with my Press Secretary." Jed looked up at Leo, his eyes pained. Leo was dumbfounded.

"Abbey and CJ?" Jed nodded, looking away.

"Yeah." Jed rubbed his hands across is face. "It's my fault. I refused to see what this all was doing to her." He gestured to the room around him.

Leo was still in shock. "What are you…" he started "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Abbey said she's not going anywhere." Jed replied. Leo nodded. "But she also said neither is CJ."

"Oh."

Jed came around a little. "I've known for a long time that my marriage was changing, Leo. Into something more like friendship and less like passion. But I never thought it would come to this." He slammed the tumbler of scotch onto the table in front of him, golden liquid flying everywhere.

Leo didn't know what to say. He threw his hands up wordlessly in agreement.

"My wife is in love with another woman."

"Yes."

"What can I say to that?" Jed asked hopelessly. "That she loves me, but is in love with CJ? That she wants to stay married to me, but be at liberty to have a relationship with my Press Secretary?"

"You can say no…" Leo trailed off. He knew it was never an option.

"I love her too much."

"I know."

"I destroyed her. I destroyed us." Jed continued "I took as second term without even consulting her. She lost her license because of me. She lost her freedom because of me. The least I owe her is her happiness."

"You're really going to do this?" Leo asked "Stand by while your wife has an affair?"

"Yeah" Jed replied softly. "I think I am."

They sat in silence for a while, letting it sink in.

"We should get back." Jed pointed out. "I've been gone a while."

"Sir…I could make an explanation in your place, if you want to…"

"It's all right, Leo. Let's go."

"Alright, sir." They stood.

"Leo? Could you keep this to yourself?"

"Of course." Leo nodded. And with that, they headed back to the party.

CJ woke the next morning to her buzzer going off. She stumbled towards the door from her bedroom, pushing the button, and opened the door to see who it was. It was Leo. Her heart dropped.

"I thought…the First Lady…might need…something less formal than a ball gown." He stumbled, not really knowing what to say. He handed her an overnight bag.

"Leo…" CJ started. He cut her off.

"Not now, CJ. I'm doing this for the President, not for you. Not for her."

"I know." She looked down. "I just thought…"

"Thought you'd what? Apologise?"

"No."

"No?" Leo repeated incredulously.

"Not apologise. I've made Abbey happy. That's not wrong. I was going to explain." CJ looked him in the eye. Leo shook his head.

"You two destroyed a marriage, CJ."

"I know."

"You know. And you want to explain to me why it's all okay?"

"No…I…" she tried again.

"Like I said, CJ, not right now."

"Okay." She understood he was going to give her and Abbey a chance, but that right now, his duty was to his friend. "Thanks. For this." She swung the bag.

"Yeah" Leo turned and walked back downstairs. "I expect you in by ten" he called back over his shoulder.

CJ smiled. He was giving her a bit of leeway, at least. She walked back to the bedroom and found Abbey awake and looking at her.

"Who was it?" she asked sleepily.

"Leo." She held up the bag. "He thought you might need some clothes."

"Oh." Abbey snuggled up to her as she climbed back into the bed. "What time is it?" CJ looked over at her clock.

"5:30. But Leo said I don't need to be in until the 10 am briefing."

"Okay."

"Are you going to go in?" Abbey nodded.

"I need to. I can't just sit around all day, I'll go crazy."

"Let's go back to sleep for a bit." CJ suggested. "If we sleep until 8, I can still be in by 9:30 at the latest."

Abbey responded by snuggling into her shoulder. CJ reached over to reset her alarm, and then cuddled up to Abbey.

Abbey wandered into the residence at about 4, thinking to pick up some clothes to keep at CJ's in case something like this happened again or even just to wear after their mornings together. She walked into the bedroom, heading for her closet, and was surprised to find her husband sitting on the couch.

"You aren't in the Oval Office." She commented, surprised.

"Trying to avoid me, Abbey?" Jed asked cynically.

"No, Jed. I just thought you'd be in the oval office." Abbey made a movement to continue into the closet.

"Can I just ask," Jed questioned, his voice rising "how long you've been having an affair for?"

Abbey turned. "Jed…" she started, her tone warning.

"I have a right to know, for God's sake" he yelled. "Abbey, I'm your husband!"

"Since you left us in Manchester that weekend." Abbey snapped, stalking into the closet and starting to pull things off of shelves.

"That's almost 10 months ago!" Jed exclaimed, following her into the walk-in closet. Abbey wheeled to face him.

"Yes, Jed, it is" she replied coolly. "And you just noticed yesterday." He stepped back as if slapped.

"You're mad I didn't notice."

"I just hope it illustrates to you how bad things had to get for you to even notice something was wrong with our marriage." Abbey started stuffing the clothes she'd selected into a bag.

"You've been cheating on me for ten months!" he yelled at her, his face red.

"I needed love from someone, Jed, and I sure as hell wasn't getting any from you!" she yelled back. "We had this discussion a year ago, before you started your second term. I couldn't have been any more bloody explicit!" She stood up and threw the bag over her shoulder. "You can find me at Claudia Jean's." she said coldly, and pushed past him out of the closet, stalking out of the room and slamming the door behind her.

Abbey strode into CJ's office, slamming the door behind her and throwing her bag to the floor. CJ jumped at the door slamming and looked up at her lover, removing her glasses as she did so. Abbey's eyes flashed.

"That JACKASS!" she yelled, throwing herself into a chair. CJ came around the desk and knelt beside her, reaching for one of the hands in Abbey's lap.

"He was in the residence?" she asked quietly. Abbey nodded. CJ squeezed her hand. Abbey pulled CJ into her lap.

"He yelled" she whispered, leaning her head against CJ's shoulder. CJ kissed the top of her head softly.

"Maybe he needed to, Ab."

"I know he did. I needed to as well." Abbey smiled weakly. "Things have to get worse before getting better I suppose."

"Yeah" CJ agreed. "They probably do."

"I think I'll be staying at yours for a while." Abbey commented quietly.

"I'll be glad to have you." CJ wrapped her arms around Abbey's shoulders, propping her chin on her head. Abbey snuggled into her embrace.

"Thanks, Claudia." CJ just squeezed her tighter.