A/N: Just in time for the holidays, this is my gift to you! In which Jed pushes himself too hard, Millie goes on a date, and Abbey proves a point in a way that only she can. Hope you enjoy!

Each breath that Jed took was like a fire searing his lungs, and as he felt the beginnings of a cough in the back of his throat, he did his best to brace himself for the pain that was sure to accompany it. His mental preparation did little for the way his lungs felt as though they were being ripped from his chest, and he closed his eyes tightly, trying to catch his breath. Despite his initial grumbling and protests, he was secretly glad that Abbey had insisted on him seeing a doctor because at least now he had the proper medication, but damn…he was just so tired.

Abbey had been an absolute godsend during the last week, stopping by his dorm room each day to ensure that he had taken his medication and to see if he had needed any kind of assistance, and while he worried about her getting sick from her close proximity, that didn't mean he was selfless enough to want her to stay away. She sat next to his bed for hours each evening, alternating between reading aloud or silently, depending on his state of wakefulness and concentration, and it made him feel more relaxed than ever each time he fell asleep to the captivating sound of her voice.

More than once, he had opened his eyes to find her sitting with Jeremy on his bed, though he could never quite make out what they were talking about, not that he would have had the energy to investigate even if he had. Besides, he trusted Abbey completely, and knew she wouldn't have had it in her to be so cruel even if his roommate had expressed an interest. He wasn't her type, anyway. Abbey had always been drawn to men with ambition, and no one knew more than Jed just how unambitious his roommate really was, which often made him question Jeremy's decision to attend college in the first place. But, hey, it wasn't his place to judge.

Jed frowned when he realized that his fever had caused him to sweat through his clothes, and he sighed, carefully pulling himself up from his bed. He was slightly unsteady on his feet as he made his way over to his dresser, intent on finding a new pair of sweatpants and a shirt, taking several slow breaths as he fought the dizziness that swept over him. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally reached the dresser, slowly opening the drawer, and he frowned in confusion as he pulled it towards himself. Had it always been so heavy?

The knock and sound of the door opening dimly registered in his mind, though his attention was more focused on staying upright, and as he searched through the drawer, he blinked hard in an attempt to make his eyes cooperate.

"Jed, what are you doing? You need to be in bed."

Though her voice was soft, there was no mistaking the gentle admonishment in Abbey's tone, and he shook his head, instantly regretting the action as nausea hit him with a force he hadn't expected.

"I'm looking for new clothes to wear."

Abbey closed the door, making her way quickly over to him, and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"I'll get them. You need to get back in bed and rest. Do you get that you have pneumonia? You're lucky that it isn't worse than it is, so would you please stop trying to do everything yourself?"

He sighed as she lowered him carefully to the mattress, and Abbey frowned as she noticed that his shirt was damp with sweat, placing her hand on his forehead.

"Looks like your fever broke and now it's back," she said lightly, "You've been sweating it out."

"Yeah, hence the reason I was looking for another shirt, Abigail," he snapped, rolling his eyes.

"You sure do get grouchy when you're sick," she replied, her tone implying that it hadn't bothered her much, "I said I would get your clothes, just hush and give me a minute."

She made good on her word, walking over to the dresser and quickly pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a thin shirt, nodding at him as she sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"Okay, clothes off."

"Hm…I feel like I've heard that before," he joked tiredly, smiling when she laughed.

"Honey, right now, you couldn't even manage to stay awake long enough to get through the foreplay," Abbey said softly, handing him the clean shirt and tossing the old one onto the floor.

She steadied him as he slid out of the old sweatpants and pulled on the fresh pair, her arm around his waist the only thing that kept him upright as another wave of dizziness washed over him, and he gave her an apologetic smile as she pulled the blankets securely around his shivering body.

"I'm sorry, Abbey. This isn't how you wanted to be spending your time."

Abbey frowned, shaking her head as she reached for the thermometer on his bedside table, shaking it expertly.

"Who says it isn't?" she asked seriously, "I'm spending time with you, and that's exactly what I want to be doing. I don't give a damn what we're doing, Jed. Just being with you is enough. Now, open up."

"Yeah, but—"

"Open," she instructed, reaching for his wrist with her free hand, "Hold this under your tongue and be quiet so I can count."

He did as she asked, staying silent for the full minute, but it took every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep himself from laughing at the serious expression on her face, though there was nothing really comical about the situation. When she pulled the thermometer from his mouth, she sighed as she read the numbers, shaking her head slowly.

"Well, it's an improvement, but not much. Make sure you keep taking that antibiotic and the aspirin when you need it. And if I hear from Jeremy that you haven't been, don't think I won't come over here and kick your ass."

He smiled, laughing quietly.

"You're really sexy when you're bossing me around."

Just as Abbey opened her mouth to reply, the door swung open, and Jeremy gave them both a wave as he walked into the room.

"Well, how is he, doc?"

Abbey smirked, sighing dramatically as she stood up, making her way closer to him, glancing at Jed over her shoulder.

"Not good," she said in mock seriousness, "We may just have to cut our losses and take him to a farm to shoot him. He really should be put out of his misery, even if I am too young to be a widow. I'm sure I'll manage somehow, maybe there's someone who could offer me a kind shoulder to cry on in my time of need."

Jeremy threw his arm around her waist, and she buried her head in his shoulder, pretending to sob as he hugged her.

"It's just so tragic," she said, shaking her head, "He was so young! He had his whole life ahead of him!"

"Still alive over here," Jed's voice was sarcastic in spite of its hoarseness.

He rolled his eyes, coughing harshly, and Abbey immediately moved to his side, helping him to a sitting position.

"Better?" she asked.

He nodded after his lungs had cleared enough for him to pull in a ragged breath.

"Yeah, but I don't see why you care, you're already moving on with Jeremy over there. And by the way, you wouldn't be a widow, smartass. We aren't married," he muttered sarcastically.

Abbey laughed, kissing his cheek lightly.

"True," she conceded, "but I would grieve you just the same. I told you once before that you've ruined me for other men, babe. It's still true."

"Can we maybe stop talking about my dying? I'm still very much alive, and I'd rather not tempt the wrath of God if you don't mind."

Jeremy laughed at his words, grabbing his jacket from the pile of clothing near the foot of his bed, giving them a smile as he shrugged it on.

"In all seriousness, I hope you feel better soon, Jed. But hey, at least you've got Abbey to take care of you."

He had just placed his hand on the doorknob when Abbey spoke up, her voice serious.

"Hey, hold on! You still owe me forty bucks."

"Aw, come on, Abbey! Can't you just let me buy you a bottle of champagne and call it even?"

Abbey shook her head, laughing once.

"Not a chance in hell," she said, holding out her hand, "Pay up."

Jed frowned in confusion as Jeremy pulled his wallet from his back pocket, mumbling in annoyance as he handed Abbey the two twenty-dollar bills. She gave him a sickeningly sweet smile as she pocketed it, nodding at him once before speaking.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

"I know I've been kind of out of it, but what in the hell is going on? Why do you owe my girlfriend forty bucks?"

"Because I kicked his ass at gin rummy two games in a row and he's a sore loser," Abbey replied, sitting down on the edge of his bed carefully.

"You've been playing cards all this time?"

Abbey nodded.

"Well, yeah," she said as though it were obvious, "What did you think we were doing over there?"

For the life of him, Jed didn't have the slightest idea of how to answer.

Nearly a full week passed before Jed was feeling well enough to even attempt to leave his bed for longer than ten minutes, and as he walked into the library, he tried to pretend that the shaking in his body was due to the cold rather than a lingering fever. He knew Abbey was concerned about his decision to attend classes, but he had reasoned that he would fall terribly behind if he didn't at least try to study and complete his coursework. That, at least, was the reason he had given her when she had passed him on campus that morning. The reality was that he was sure he would lose his mind if he'd had to stay in that damn bed for one more day.

He could see the worry in her eyes as she watched him walk to their table, shaking her head as he sat down in the chair, and she sighed as she handed him a pen.

"Jed, maybe we should wait another day. You still look pretty pale."

He shook his head, pulling one of the large books toward him, opening it to the page he thought he had left off on the last time he'd read it. The words warped and twisted as his eyes struggled to focus, and he frowned as he realized he had already finished this particular book. He stood carefully, preparing to grab another one from the shelf, but before he could take so much as one step, his legs gave way beneath him, sending him tumbling to the floor.

"Jed!"

The panic in Abbey's voice was unmistakable, and as he caught himself with his hands, she knelt down next to him, her eyes wide with fear. His body was shaking so badly that he didn't even realize she was touching him, his vision spinning as he tried to clear the fog in his head, and Abbey framed his face with her hands, trying to see his eyes.

"Jed? Jed, honey, look at me."

He could hear the barely restrained note of hysteria in her voice, and he blinked, the blurred edges of his vision slowly sharpening. He took several deep breaths to clear his head, and when he finally raised his eyes to hers, he shook his head, hoping he hadn't just made a huge mistake.

"I'm okay, Abbey," he said, his voice somewhat hoarse, "Just got a little dizzy."

"Do you think you can stand?"

He nodded, taking her offered hand, and as he slowly rose to his feet, he could see someone approaching from the corner of his eye. He couldn't make out the whispered words their visitor exchanged with Abbey, but a few moments later, they were thankfully alone again, and he sank into the chair, blinking hard.

"You're going back to bed," Abbey said sternly, "And if I hear one word of protest, I'll cut out every single organ in your body with a scalpel and shove them down your throat in alphabetical order. Do you understand me?"

Willing himself not to vomit, Jed nodded slowly, waiting silently in the chair while Abbey reshelved their books. When she had finished, she hooked her arm around his waist, leading him carefully out of the library, pointedly ignoring the looks of anyone who watched them as they passed.

As she and Jed made their way down the hallway leading to his room, she frowned at the violent shaking that had taken over his body, feeling the heat radiating from his skin, and when they finally stopped in front of his door, she knocked lightly. She didn't want to release her hold on Jed, and when it swung inward, she had never been so relieved to see Jeremy in her life.

"What the hell? Abbey, is he okay?"

"Can you go turn down the bed?" she requested, "I'll bring him inside."

Jeremy nodded, moving quickly to the far side of the room, and as they crossed the threshold, Jed stumbled, his forward momentum enough to send them both sprawling to the ground, and Abbey screamed his name without realizing it, her fear overriding any potential pain as she landed.

"Jeremy, help me!"

He was by them in an instant, lifting Jed in a way Abbey would have never been able to do, and as he carefully placed Jed on his bed, he frowned.

"Well, he's gonna be sore as hell when he wakes up."

Abbey pulled herself up from the ground, shaking her head as she moved closer, her eyes betraying the depth of her worry.

"Thank you," she said softly, "I could have never…I mean, just…thank you."

Jeremy smiled at her, giving her a gentle hug.

"Don't mention it. Unless you want to give me that forty bucks back."

He had hoped that joking with her would ease some of the worry, but she didn't even acknowledge it, never once looking away from Jed as he lay unconscious in the bed.

Though she knew she should be going back to her own room, Abbey couldn't bear the thought of leaving Jed, regardless of the fact that she knew Jeremy would look after him in her absence. She sat on the edge of his bed, her hand slowly brushing through Jed's hair as he slept, her other hand holding his tightly. She didn't so much as flinch when Jeremy returned from dinner nearly three hours after they had fallen into the room, and as he realized she hadn't moved even once, Jeremy shook his head sadly, carrying the food he'd brought back carefully.

"Abbey, you need to eat something. Here, I snagged you a packet of crackers and a bowl of soup."

"I'm not hungry," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving Jed, closely watching the rise and fall of his chest.

Jeremy placed the food on Jed's bedside table, glancing at her as he did so.

"It's here if you change your mind."

Abbey nodded absentmindedly, though Jeremy was almost certain she hadn't even registered the words he'd said, and as he took a step closer, he looked at Jed seriously.

"Has he woken up?"

"Once, for a few minutes," she said, her voice soft, "I helped him take the antibiotic and a few aspirin to try and break the fever, but…"

She shook her head, tears dripping onto the sheet, and the way her voice cracked was almost enough to make Jeremy begin crying himself.

"He's so sick," she whispered, "It's been a week, he seemed to be getting better, and now…"

Jeremy couldn't stand to see Abbey so upset, but he knew that his own worry about Jed's health was nothing compared to how she was feeling, and he said her name, hoping she would finally look at him. She must have heard the serious tone in his voice because she turned to face him, tears falling from her eyes each time she blinked.

"Come here for a minute."

She stood slowly, still reluctant to be away from Jed, and when she was close enough, Jeremy gathered her in his arms, hugging her tightly, not even caring as her tears dampened his shirt.

"He's going to be okay," he whispered.

Abbey cried harder, her body shaking as he held her, and she shook her head slowly.

"I'm so scared, Jeremy," she sobbed, her voice muffled by his chest, "I've done all I can do, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. He's worse now than before. I just keep praying and praying, but…I can't lose him."

"I know," he said gently, "but just remember: God brought you together for a reason. Jed's going to be fine."

He prayed, as he tried his best to offer her support, that he hadn't just lied to the girl he had come to love like a sister.

When Jed finally opened his eyes, the first thing he registered was that his hair was sticking to his forehead, and it took him longer than usual to understand that he was drenched in sweat. The second thing he registered was that someone was holding his hand, and he frowned when he realized that Abbey was half-sitting half-laying on the end of his bed, her upper body spread across his legs, fast asleep, her legs dangling over the edge of the mattress.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Bartlet," Jeremy whispered from his own bed, smiling at him in the darkness once he realized he was awake.

Jed frowned, more than a little confused. What was going on? The last thing he remembered was leaving the library with Abbey, and he shook his head slowly.

"What happened?" he whispered hoarsely.

"You passed out yesterday after Abbey brought you here. She managed to get you to take the antibiotics, but you've been out of it for…" he glanced at the clock, "about sixteen hours, give or take a few."

As Jed's exhausted mind struggled to comprehend this information, he heard Jeremy's low whisper from the other side of the room, obviously taking care not to wake Abbey.

"Hell of a girl you've got there, by the way. She hasn't left your side since it happened. Couldn't even convince her to eat. There's soup on your nightstand, if you want it, but it's definitely cold by now. I'll tell you, Jed…I've never seen a woman who loved anyone like Abbey loves you. She's been worried sick about you."

"She's been here all night?" Jed asked, looking at her carefully, mindful of the spinning in his head.

Jeremy nodded.

"Since you came back from the library. The only time she moved away from that bed was when I hugged her a few hours ago after dinner. I'm just saying, if you ever do anything to make her leave you, it would have to be majorly serious. I'm talking straight up murder, man. It's sickening how much she loves you."

He laughed to show Jed he was kidding, and Jed slowly reached out to run his fingers through Abbey's hair, smiling when her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Jed! Thank God you're awake," the relief in her voice was almost palpable, "How are you feeling? And don't even try to lie to me."

"Like I've been hit by a train," he muttered honestly, giving her a weak smile as she raised up to press her hand to his forehead, "What are you doing here? It's almost five in the morning."

Abbey laughed softly, shaking her head as she reached for the thermometer.

"You didn't really expect me to leave you in Jeremy's care, did you? He's good for the heavy lifting, but his bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired."

Jed frowned, his mind struggling to understand what she meant.

"Heavy lifting?" he repeated.

"Well, surely you didn't think I carried you to bed, did you? If he hadn't been here, you would probably still be on the ground. Now, open up. Judging by how much you've been sweating all night, your fever has probably broken, but I'm still going to check."

Glancing at Jeremy, Jed rolled his eyes with a small smile, and Abbey lightly smacked his arm, her expression serious.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, Jed Bartlet, or the next time you pass out, I'll just leave you wherever you happen to land."

"Is hitting your patients some new medical treatment I'm not aware of, Dr. Barrington? Or should I sue you for malpractice?" Jed joked.

"Jed, for the love of God, if you don't shut up, I will cheerfully strangle you to death," Abbey threatened, sticking the thermometer under his tongue.

"Oh, come on, babe," he said thickly, trying to speak around the thermometer, "I'm just kidding."

"Stop talking," she said shortly but not ungently.

He sighed, knowing she was right, and as he waited, she shook her head, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes.

"At least if you're making bad jokes, I know you're not going to die."

Even in the years to come, Jed never knew if he should have been offended or not.

The moment they were alone, Jed wasted no time in kicking Abbey's door shut, his tongue sweeping into her mouth as he held her as close as he possibly could, hands tight on her waist. She laughed breathlessly as he brushed her hair to one side, bringing his lips to her throat, and when she spoke, there was a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Jed, there's no rush. Millie's on a date and won't be back for hours."

"Babe, I haven't so much as kissed your cheek in nearly three weeks. I'm making up for lost time."

"Then I suggest you make it count," she whispered, kissing him again.

He lifted her off her feet, her legs wrapping around his waist, and as he carried her to the bed, she kissed him harder, all teeth and tongue, her hands tangled in his hair. He placed her carefully on the bed, wary of dropping her, and as her hands pulled his shirt over his head, he reached into his pocket, grabbing the condom he had brought for just this occasion. Sliding her pants down her legs, he was again struck by just how stunning she was, and he trailed his lips up her body, drawing patterns with his tongue on her inner thighs.

Though he usually preferred to take his time undressing Abbey, the need to touch her skin was simply too strong, amplified by weeks of absence, and as the last of their clothing was tossed into a pile on the floor, Abbey ran her hands over the expanse of his chest lightly.

"Jed?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

Jed smiled, kissing her slowly, running his fingers through her hair.

"Yeah, baby, I think I've got a pretty good idea. And I love you more than anything in the world."

He kissed her again, harder this time, and he moved his hand to her breasts, hardly able to believe it had been almost a month since he'd last touched her, and her eyes closed as her head fell back against the pillows. He spent more time on her breasts than he usually did, carefully pulling her nipple between his teeth, and when he slid two fingers into her, she moaned, her voice low and ragged. He twisted his fingers expertly, more in tune with Abbey's body than he was with his own at this point, and she tightened her hold on his shoulder, pulling him closer as she kissed him.

Her body jerked in his arms, a harsh gasp falling from her lips as he hit a particularly sensitive spot, and when he did it again, she moaned into his mouth, a few choice words escaping her. His touch turned carefully rough as his thumb moved over her clit and she cried out, biting down on her lip to keep the volume down as much as possible. He stopped touching her suddenly, smirking when she protested the lack of contact, but when he quickly entered her, her head fell onto his shoulder, her lips grazing his throat.

"Jesus Christ, Jed," she whispered.

Jed could already feel her legs shaking as he moved to angle his hips, each thrust hitting her deeper than before, and she moaned, biting on her bottom lip again, not even caring when she felt the flesh split open. She fell over the edge with a ragged moan, and when Jed felt his own orgasm approaching, he kissed her, needing to taste her as his climax hit. Her name fell from his lips in a low moan, and when he was finally able to notice the world around him again, he frowned at the taste of blood in his mouth.

"You're bleeding," he said hoarsely, reaching out to run his thumb over her bottom lip lightly.

She laughed softly, her hand playing with his hair absentmindedly.

"I couldn't exactly risk screaming your name and having the entire dorm know what we were doing, Jed."

"Damn, we need another hotel room," he said with a laugh, "My new goal in life is to see how many times I can make you scream my name in one night."

Abbey rolled her eyes, shaking her head as he kissed her again, mindful of the bleeding of her lip.

"Stop, it's getting hot in here again," she said jokingly.

"You bet your ass it is," he replied smartly.

"Jed Bartlet, I do believe I really have been a bad influence on you. Drinking, sex, now swearing…what would your father say?"

Jed shrugged, carefully moving away from her, smirking as he began to get dressed again.

"Probably tell me I'm going to hell, but I already knew that. I can live with it."

"Believe me, babe, out of all the people who are going to hell, you're not one of them," Abbey said with a smile, slowly picking up her clothing, "and even if you were, I'd be right there with you."

Jed laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he kissed her again.

"At least I would be in good company."

"Damn straight," Abbey replied, laughing.

Millie's eyes widened when she walked into her room after a date that could only have been described as disastrous, confused by the bruising on her friend's bottom lip, wondering what on earth had happened to her. Abbey was sitting in her bed thumbing through a large notebook, and when she heard the door open, she gave Mille a warm smile.

"How was the date?"

"Don't ask," Millie replied shortly, rolling her eyes, "What the hell happened to you? Did you get punched in the face?"

Abbey frowned.

"No. What are you talking about?"

Millie gestured broadly to her lip, her eyes more than a little troubled.

"You've got a bruise on your lip. Are you okay?"

Realizing what she meant, Abbey burst out laughing, shaking her head as she closed her notebook, moving to sit cross-legged on her bed.

"Oh, that! No, it's fine. Don't worry, nothing bad happened. Things got a little…heated with Jed earlier, and I may or may not have bitten down on my lip too hard."

"At least someone had a good time tonight," Millie muttered, shaking her head.

Abbey frowned as she watched Millie sit on her bed, her eyes noticing the tear tracks staining her face at once, and she spoke quietly, hoping she wasn't making a mistake.

"Millie…I don't mind listening if you want to talk about it. God knows you've listened to enough of my bullshit over the past few months."

Sighing heavily, the blonde finally nodded, and when Abbey spoke again, her voice was so soft, so gentle that Millie felt her eyes immediately filling with tears.

"What happened, Millie?"

"We met at that little diner right off campus, you know, the one we go to after church sometimes on Sundays? Anyway, I thought we were having a good time. He seemed really nice, he was a good-looking guy, and he was interesting to talk to. He paid for dinner, even though I offered to pay at least part of it, and when we were leaving the restaurant, he tried to get me to go home with him. Said he had a little apartment a few blocks away. I know I'm not opposed to a kiss on the first date, but I really didn't feel comfortable going home with him. He got extremely upset about it and grabbed my arm. Luckily, a man who had just pulled into the parking lot startled him and I was able to leave, but…Abbey, why do some men think that just because they buy a woman dinner, they're entitled to a night with her?"

Abbey shook her head, looking at Millie slowly, her eyes leaving no doubt as to how furious she was.

"Millie, did he hurt you? If he hurt you, I swear, I'll steal a scalpel from the Biology lab and I'll make him regret it, in more ways than one. You just tell me his name, and I'll—"

"Abbey, I'm fine," Millie insisted, holding out her arm as proof, "It was more scary than painful. I'm okay. I promise."

Staring at her friend for a moment as she tried to determine whether or not she was lying, Abbey finally nodded, quickly standing and walking over to Millie's side of the room. She hugged her fiercely, running her hand over Millie's back lightly when she felt her begin to cry, her heart breaking for her.

"Don't worry, Millie," she said gently, "I know it hurts right now, but you'll find someone one day who will love you for exactly who you are. And you know what? Even if you don't, you're so amazing that it doesn't even matter. You don't need anyone, but you're going to find someone that you want so much that will worship the ground you walk on, and I can't wait to shout it from the rooftops."

Millie sniffed, her head still resting on Abbey's shoulder.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to clone Jed, would you?"

Abbey laughed, shaking her head.

"Trust me, the world can only handle one Jed Bartlet. But if I thought I could, I would do anything to make you happy."

Millie smiled, looking up at her before hugging her again, her tears beginning to slow.

"I love you, Abs. You're the sister I never had."

"Right back at you, Millie."

The blonde frowned, shaking her head in confusion.

"But you have a sister."

"Yeah," Abbey said lightly, "but you don't annoy me half as much as Kate does. I only think about strangling you once a month. With Kate, it's every time we talk."

Laughing at Abbey's joke, Millie had never been more thankful that the universe had chosen them to be roommates.

"Josiah Edward Bartlet, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Jed froze at the sound of his full name, the cigarette he'd just proceeded to light hanging from his mouth precariously, and as Abbey walked closer to where he was standing, he could see the fury in her eyes. He had carefully chosen this hiding spot because no one ever walked around the back of the boys' dorm except to smoke, and he hadn't expected that she would have any indication he had been there. Clearly, he had been wrong, and when she stopped in front of him, she gave him a harsh glare.

"You just got over pneumonia less than two weeks ago. Are you trying to destroy your lungs, or do you just get off on breaking rules now?"

"How did you know I was even standing here?" he asked, still confused about that.

She rolled her eyes.

"I saw you walk around the building. I'm not stupid, Jed, and I'm certainly not blind."

He took a long drag from the cigarette, unprepared for Abbey's quick movement, and when she yanked it from his mouth, he stared at her in shock.

"Abbey, come on. One cigarette won't kill me."

"I don't care. Jed, I'm not asking you to quit entirely. We both know that would be like punching water, pointless and I would look stupid doing it. I'm just asking you to wait until your lungs have had a chance to completely heal. So please, just for a few more weeks, will you just humor me?"

He considered her request, knowing she was being extremely reasonable about it, and finally he nodded, giving her a small smile.

"I wouldn't do this for anyone but you, you know."

She smiled.

"I know."

"You're weaponizing my love for you," he said, pouting slightly.

"Oh, who gives a damn?" she asked rhetorically.

It nearly destroyed him when she tossed the cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath her shoe, and he stared sadly at the pile of ash when she stepped back, rolling her eyes.

"Jed, it's a cigarette. Don't be so dramatic."

He moved closer, preparing to kiss her, but she pulled away, her eyes serious as she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"I don't think so, Jed. Until you brush your teeth or use mouthwash, I'm not letting you near me."

He sighed, wrapping his arm around her as they leaned against the brick of the building.

"Fine."

Timing his moment perfectly, Jed waited until she wasn't really paying much attention, and he pulled her against him, kissing her hard, smirking at the startled scream that fell from her lips.

"Jed! You taste like an ashtray!" she said indignantly, "It's disgusting!"

He merely laughed, shaking his head.

"Who's being dramatic now, Abigail?"

Jeremy stared at Abbey as though she had lost her mind, certain he had misheard her request, and shook his head in disbelief as he tried to make himself speak.

"What?"

"Do you have a cigarette?" she repeated, "I would sneak one from Jed, but he would notice."

"You don't smoke," he pointed out, "Unless something has changed that I'm not aware of."

Abbey shook her head, hoping that Jed wouldn't choose now to walk back into the room.

"No, I don't. I'm trying to prove a point."

Jeremy frowned.

"Let me get this straight: you're going to do something that has no health benefits to speak of simply to make a point with your boyfriend?"

She nodded.

"Never underestimate how much I'm willing to inconvenience myself to prove a point, Jeremy. Now, do you have a cigarette or not?"

He grabbed his pack from his bedside table, shaking one out, and as he handed it to her, he had to admit that there was something insanely sexy yet inherently wrong about Abigail Barrington holding a cigarette between her lips. He lit it for her, trying not to laugh at the disgusted look on her face as she experienced the taste, and when she blew the smoke, she stared at the tiny object in her hand as though she had never seen something so offensive.

"God, people actually enjoy this?"

"It takes time to get used to it," Jeremy explained.

Abbey shook her head just as she heard Jed's hand on the doorknob, and she quickly sat down on his bed, crossing her legs gracefully, the cigarette back between her lips. It took Jed a minute to realize what was different about her, and when he finally noticed the cigarette, he stared at her as though he'd never seen her before.

"Um…honey, why are you smoking? Did you hit your head and forget who you are?"

Abbey laughed, carefully blowing the smoke away from herself, taking great pains not to grimace at the taste.

"No, I just thought I would see for myself what the appeal was."

"Uh-huh," Jed said disbelievingly as he came to sit next to her, still unsure of the entire situation, "and what did you discover?"

She shrugged, taking another long drag, fighting against the nausea she suddenly felt.

"It's not bad," she lied, "You might be onto something."

Jed stared at her as though he had no idea what language she was speaking, and when she made no move to say anything else, he merely shrugged, figuring Abbey must have actually changed her mind. She laid her head on his shoulder, smiling as she reached for his hand, and when she leaned closer, she kissed him slowly. He had never imagined that he would ever want a kiss from his girlfriend to end more than he did now, and when he broke away moments later, he couldn't stop the shudder that passed through his body.

"What's wrong?" Abbey asked, looking at him worriedly.

"Abbey, don't take this the wrong way, but…wait a minute…"

He knew at once that he had been played, and Abbey laughed, exchanging a look with Jeremy that told him she'd been planning this for a long time.

"Not so fun when it happens to you, is it?"

Jed sighed, knowing she had been right, and he had just opened his mouth to say as much when he caught sight of how pale she had become.

"Abbey? You okay, babe?"

She said nothing, throwing her hand over her mouth and bolting from the room before he could do more than watch the door slam shut. Jeremy burst into peals of laughter, ignoring the worried look Jed shot him, and shook his head in amusement.

"I should have warned her that she'd probably get sick the first time," he said through his laughter, "But damn, you've got to admit that the girl commits to her decisions."

Jed laughed in disbelief and when Abbey returned to the room several minutes later, pale and shaking, he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, pulling her into his arms as she sat down on the bed.

"You've made your point, baby. I won't kiss you after smoking again."

"Good," she said weakly, "because—oh, god, Jed…" she paused, trying not to vomit again, "how in the hell can you smoke those things?"

Jed smiled, kissing her hair softly.

"Don't worry. You'll feel better once you sleep."

"Jed?"

"Hm?"

"Remind me to never try this hard to prove a point again."

Jed held her closer, running his hand over her hair slowly.

"Consider it done. I do admire the commitment, though."

Abbey closed her eyes tiredly, her head resting on Jed's shoulder, and she only opened them again when she heard Jeremy's voice, still wavering with laughter on the other side of the room.

"Abbey, I think you're my hero."

Abbey said nothing, merely flipping him off as she moved closer to Jed's warmth, wondering why she had ever thought this was a good idea.

A/N: Poor Abbey...