OK! This is taking a little longer than I thought! There will be 5-7 more chapters, but keeping them fairly short...hopefully it will stay interesting for you all! I've really appreciated the reviews; Thank you so much!

Leo made his way back to the office after yet another failed attempt at getting through to Jed.

As he passed by Angela she tried to make meaningful eye contact but Leo just shook his head and kept walking. Toby and CJ made the same effort but Leo just stalked past to his office, slamming the door shut behind him.

He dropped into his wingback chair by the sofa and gazed out the window in contemplation.

Rarely had the president left him so confused. Even through the divide of the past months Leo was at least able to read in to what Jed's intent and motivations were. Things had begun to seem better over the past short while. Leo couldn't be sure but he was almost certain that Jed's daily calls to Manchester were no longer exclusively to his youngest daughter. It had made a notable difference.

The frostiness since Stanley's visit had evaporated and the good humor had begun to creep back into each day. Leo had held hope that the ship was slowly pointing in the right direction; even up to the very moment the president had gone AWOL in the budget meeting. For a moment Leo had seen the old Jed back in action; The way he had taken over the conversation from Angela and had provided an unwavering 'No', in that short exchange anyone looking could see the indomitable politician who had soundly beaten Rob Richie just over a year ago.

But then Jed had abruptly left the room leaving the negotiation unfinished, the government shut down and Leo lost, just absolutely lost.

He closed his eyes and sighed wearily. He knew what he had to do but he did NOT want to do it. With one final moment to reflect on all possible remaining courses of action Leo stood wearily and stood behind his desk.

He wiped his hands on his pants as he looked at the phone with trepidation and took a deep breath. He was one of the most experienced political operatives in the country; he had stared down governors, congressmen, senators, generals, ambassadors and the president himself from time to time. There was no one Leo was afraid of...except he could feel his stomach involuntarily clench as he reached to pick up his phone.

He closed his eyes; he had to do this.

"Abbey?"

"Leo." The word was crisp, tone full of cold disdain.

"We need you."

"Excuse me?"

Leo didn't think it was possible to load so much contempt into two little words and he took advantage of her being unable to see him and loosened his collar.

"Abbey, the government shut down, it wasn't orchestrated, it's not a stunt, there is no plan. He just shut it down 5 min into negotiations and he's holed up in the residence as if this is some kind of game at Boy Scout camp. He's not talking to me or anyone and we don't know what to do."

It was quiet on the other end of the line.

"Abbey, honest to God I think you're the only one who has a shot at reaching him."

"I don't do policy Leo. You and the president have made that quite clear."

Leo swallowed. "Abbey..."

"No Leo, you listen to me. This is your mess. I don't mind that your staff has continuously beaten up on my staff and railroaded issues I care about. I don't care that Jed would rather talk about numbskull novels or trivia or sporting events after days filled with cynical political nonsense. But I do mind that time and time again I have been kept out of significant policy discussions. Not just the ones that have had direct and violent effect on my family but those that have caused my husband to loose sleep or those that have upended values that he has held for as long as I have known him. I haven't been a welcome part of serious discussions since the campaign. If you've lost control then that's on you."

Leo sighed, "It's not that I've lost control Abbey, I think that he has."

He paused; her silence told him that he found his opening.

"He's been slipping Abbey. I know you saw the Oklahoma trip but there are other things. And he knows it too; he's feeling out of control, it's been bothering him and Haffley pushed the wrong button. I swear he just snapped. I really think that he wasn't thinking at all, he just reacted. For the first time since I've met him I'm doubting his mental faculties. He's not listening to or offering any logic He hasn't been sleeping or eating right, he's been sick..."

"Leo?" The interruption was quick; the word was heavy with concern.

He mentally kicked himself. He had no intention of playing dirty. "Just a cold that's going around Abbey. Enough to be distracting but nothing serious, I'm sorry I didn't mean to...I wouldn't...The long and short of it is that he's not himself and this isn't some confirmation hearing or land use bill, this is the Federal Budget and nearly a million federal employees out of work. You know I wouldn't be sticking myself into what's going on between the two of you if it wasn't serious, if it wasn't urgent."

Abbey sighed. "And what exactly do you expect me to do?"

"What you always do; bring him to reality, clarity. He's a better person in all matters of the word when you're around and we need some of that magic."

Leo rubbed his hand across his face as Abbey emitted a quiet clucking noise. "I'm flattered Leo, really." She mocked.

"Abbey..." Leo's pride didn't keep the tinge of whining desperation out of his voice.

"If I come back I'm not going to just buck him up and send him on his way. I'm not going to encourage him to do anything that I don't think is in his best interest. I'm going to be informed and involved."

Leo tried to keep the hope out of his voice, "We've got a war room set up in the Roosevelt room. Come by when you arrive, I'll have a seat for you."

She sighed deeply. "Okay."

He closed his eyes and breathed in relief, "Thank you Abbey."

"I'm not doing it for you."