A/N: I hope you all had a lovely holiday, and without further ado, I present the next installment of Hear it in the Silence! Enjoy!

As they walked across the campus one early spring morning, Jed reached for Abbey's hand, raising it to his lips, giving her a smile when she turned to look at him. Though it was still two months away, Jed had been unable to stop himself from thinking about what the end of the school year would bring for their relationship, and if he was being honest with himself, he had no idea how he was going to manage. He had spent nearly every day with Abbey since they had met over six months ago, and he was almost certain that the limited contact was going to drive him insane. He didn't dare risk asking her to write to him during her vacation, knowing that his father would never accept the relationship, and while he had come a long way in standing up to him, Jed really didn't have any desire to spend his summer covered in bruises.

He had tried to push the thoughts to the back of his mind, and while he had succeeded for the most part, they seemed to return at the most inopportune moments. Such as right now, when they were merely outside enjoying the warmer weather, Abbey looking absolutely stunning in a light blue dress that made her legs look even more perfect than they usually did, and Jed shook his head. It did little to drive away the thoughts, and Abbey gave him a strange look as they made their way to the back of the boys' dormitory building.

She said nothing as they sat down in the grass, smiling when Jed laid his head in her lap, running her hand lightly through his hair, but she could sense that something was bothering him. If there was one thing Abbey had learned over the course of their relationship, however, it was never to push him unless she was in the mood to argue, and so she merely leaned down to kiss him, her hair enveloping them in a mahogany wave.

"How do you think you did on your Theology final?" she asked, knowing full well he had passed with flying colours.

Jed smiled, shrugging lightly.

"Well enough. It doesn't hurt that most of my formative years were spent staring at my Bible while my brother was out causing trouble."

Abbey laughed quietly, leaning her head back carefully on the brick wall. She'd had no doubt whatsoever that he had done well, but she felt proud to hear him acknowledge it for himself, knowing that he was often harder on himself than his professors had ever been. She just couldn't shake the thought that he wasn't telling her everything, though, and she sighed as she decided to take the plunge, praying for the best.

"Jed, I don't want to upset you, but is something wrong? You seem like you've got a lot on your mind lately, and I want to help if I can."

Jed frowned.

"Why would that upset me?"

Abbey shook her head.

"You tend to get a little…snippy when you've got something on your mind that you don't want to talk about, and I just don't want to fight."

"Snippy?" he repeated, raising up from his position in her lap, "I do not get snippy, Abigail."

Abbey raised her eyebrows in question, a slight smile on her face.

"Oh, no?" she asked sweetly, "What word would you prefer, then? 'Agitated'? 'Irritable'? 'Bitchy'? Stop me when you hear one that you like."

"None of the above, smartass," Jed snapped sarcastically, "And you're not always sunshine and roses, honey. No matter what you might think."

"Jed, I said I don't want to fight," Abbey said quietly, "I just wanted to help if I could. Forget I mentioned it."

Jed sighed, knowing she was right on more than one count, and nodded slowly, leaning to kiss her softly.

"I've just been thinking about the end of the semester. I won't see you until September and after being with you nearly every day, it's going to be difficult," he admitted, "I mean, who's to say that you won't meet someone back home and decide—"

Abbey burst into laughter, tipping over into his lap, feeling more than seeing the perplexed look he was giving her, and when she was finally able to catch her breath, she shook her head.

"Jed Bartlet, you've been moping around for the last few days because you're worried about me meeting someone else and you're going to miss me? You are absolutely unbelievable."

She started laughing again, kissing him hard when she had straightened up, and she met his eyes seriously as they broke apart, her voice warmer than the spring air.

"I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. So quit making this such a big deal, and let's just try to make the most of the next two months. Okay?"

He nodded, kissing her again, his hands winding into her hair slowly.

"Okay."

Abbey was silent for a long moment and when Jed moved so that he was laying across her lap again, she smiled, her fingers moving through his dark hair of their own accord.

"Hey, Jed?"

"Hm?"

"Say something sexy in Latin."

Jed frowned, trying to think, and when he finally spoke, there was a warmth in his voice that had been noticeably absent over the last few weeks.

"Caelum angustum est amorem tenere sicut nostrum."

"Translation?" Abbey asked lightly.

"Heaven is too small to hold a love like ours," he replied.

In all her life, Abigail Barrington didn't think she had ever heard anything so beautiful.

As she so often did when she had a minor problem concerning Jed, Abbey turned to Jeremy for assistance, thanking him profusely when he handed her the empty envelope that had contained the last letter from Jed's father. She was immensely grateful that they had become such good friends, teasing and relying on each other like siblings, and when she called his name as he began to walk away, she tried to keep her tone light.

"I just realized: I have no idea what your last name is."

If he thought there was anything odd with her statement, Jeremy didn't show it, and he merely laughed nodding once.

"Clenden. Not as fancy as Barrington, I'm afraid."

Abbey rolled her eyes.

"Could be worse. You could have something misspelled, like 'Bartlet" with only one 't', like someone else we both know."

Jeremy laughed again, waving at her as he walked.

"Watch it, Abbey. More than likely, that will be your last name someday."

"At least my monogram will stay the same!" Abbey quipped, laughing as she pocketed the envelope.

She couldn't stop smiling as she made her way back to her dorm room, feeling more than a little proud of herself. Jed didn't know it yet, but Abbey had a pretty good feeling that she had just found a way to help him combat the feeling of missing her while they spent their summer apart. She just hoped Jed wasn't as meticulous about his trash as he was about nearly every other aspect of his life.

Much to their mutual disappointment, the next two months flew by in a whirlwind of final exams, intense study sessions, and even more intense nights spent in each other's arms, and when Abbey walked with Jed to where her parents had insisted on picking her up, she found herself clinging to his hand more tightly than she had done in months. She knew Jed was slightly nervous at the prospect of meeting her father, but to his credit, he hid it well, and as they approached the crowds of people waiting, she gave him a reassuring smile.

"They're going to love you," she said warmly, "Just don't get my father started on politics, or we'll be here until the start of the next semester."

Jed smirked, kissing her hand as they walked, and when they were near enough, Abbey smiled, dropping his hand just long enough to hug her parents. The interaction was such a contrast to his own home life, making Jed miss his mother more than he'd thought possible, but he quickly pushed the thought away when Abbey's father held out his hand with a smile.

"James Barrington. Nice to meet you, Jed."

Jed took his hand, offering the older man a smile that even his own father couldn't have found fault with, and nodded at him, his tone warm and respectful.

"Thank you, sir. It's good to meet you as well."

He hardly had time to draw in a breath before he found himself being pulled into a hug, more than a little unsure of how to respond, and when he caught Abbey's eye over her mother's shoulder, she mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' as her father shook his head with a laugh.

"Lorraine, let the boy breathe."

"I've heard quite a lot about you, Jed," Lorraine Barrington said, giving him a smile as she released him, "Abbey tells me that you made the Dean's List a few months ago, is that right?"

Jed nodded, surprised that Abbey had even mentioned him at all. Then again, not everyone had parents who seemed to quite literally hate them at even the best of times.

"Yes, ma'am. Abbey made the List as well, which I'm sure you already know. I'm very proud of her. She's an incredibly intelligent woman, and for the life of me, I can't imagine why she stays with me."

"Our Abbey has always been very bright and she's an excellent judge of character," Lorraine said, smiling at her daughter, "So, tell me, Jed: what are your plans for the summer?"

"I'm planning on visiting my sister," he replied, smiling at the thought of seeing Mrs. Landingham again, "There's so much I need to tell her, and we really need to reconnect."

In truth, the idea had just occurred to him, but it was one that he had every intention of following through on, and Abbey gave him a smile as he reached down to pick up the bag she had brought with her. He placed it carefully in the back of the Barrington's car, and when he leaned down to kiss Abbey's cheek, he kept his voice a low whisper so as not to be overheard.

"I love you."

Abbey smiled, giving him a chaste kiss, and when she hugged him, he heard her voice softly in his ear.

"I love you, Jed. Be safe."

He knew she was warning him to take extra precautions around his father, and he nodded once to show that he had heard her, smiling at her next words.

"Tell your sister I said hi!"

"I will. Have a safe trip."

He shook James Barrington's hand one last time and received one final hug from Lorraine, giving them both a smile as they climbed into the car, wishing he could have one last real moment with Abbey before she disappeared for three months. He watched the car begin making its way down the path and when he felt Jeremy lay his hand on his shoulder, he turned, wondering when he had snuck up behind him.

"Cheer up, Bartlet. You'll both be back and making everyone nauseous with your love sooner than you think."

Jed laughed quietly as he nodded, turning to make his way back to his dorm before it was time for him to leave. He really wasn't looking forward to going home, but at least he would have one person he could talk to, provided she wasn't too busy. After all, there were so many things that had happened since he'd last written to her, and it was better to talk in person anyway.

"Jed!"

He turned at the sound of his name, hardly having time to brace himself before Abbey threw herself into his arms, her arms locking around his neck as she kissed him, her tongue tasting every corner of his mouth. His hands found her waist, lifting her slightly off her feet, and when his lungs were screaming at him for air, he finally broke away from her, looking at her as though she'd lost her mind.

"What are you doing?"

"I couldn't leave without saying goodbye properly," she answered as he placed her back on the ground, "I wanted to give you something that will haunt you in the best possible way when I'm not around."

Jed laughed, ignoring the overexaggerated rolling of Jeremy's eyes as he kissed her again.

"Mission accomplished, baby. You'd better go before your parents haul you out by force, though."

"I love you, Jed," she said seriously, "Please be safe while you're gone. I know how your dad can be when he…"

"Is awake?" Jeremy asked bitterly.

Abbey nodded.

"Pretty much."

"I'll be okay," Jed told her, "I'm probably just going to avoid him as much as possible. Now, go on, babe. I don't want to give your parents a reason to hate me. I love you."

Kissing him one last time, Abbey smiled, hugging Jeremy once before running back to her parents' car, and as they drove away, Jeremy gagged jokingly, rolling his eyes.

"You two disgust me."

For the first two weeks of his summer vacation, Jed was thankfully able to avoid his father's wrath, finding himself at the library earlier and earlier each day, and though he had yet to run into Mrs. Landingham, he had every confidence that he would see her before the time came for him to return to school. He had just returned from one such trip to the library when he heard his father call his name, and he froze as he walked into the kitchen, instinctively bracing himself for the worst.

"Yes, sir?"

"There was a letter for you in the mail this afternoon. I left it on the table."

Jed frowned, more than a little confused as he made his way closer, picking up the envelope slowly. He had no idea who would have known how to reach him at his father's house, though his first thought was of Mrs. Landingham. She was, after all, the only person he wrote to with any kind of regularity, with the exception of the very man standing in front of him. His eyes scanned the return address quickly, his confusion only growing when he saw Jeremy's name, and he turned it over in his hands.

"Just my roommate. Maybe I forgot something or packed something that belongs to him."

Not wanting to risk being alone with his father for too long, Jed quickly made his way down the hallway towards his old room, and he shook his head as he tried to understand what was going on. The return address was indeed Jeremy's name, though the address didn't match what Jed knew to be his family's house, and he knew for a fact that the handwriting didn't belong to his friend. It was as though it had been deliberately disguised, though it did seem vaguely familiar, and when he closed his door, he quickly tore open the envelope.

As soon as he unfolded the letter to see Abbey's neat handwriting, he understood at once, and he felt a surge of pride at her determination and intelligence. She'd known that his father would ask too many questions if he'd found a letter with her name and address, and his clever girl had found a way around it. He should have known she would.

Dear Jed,

I hope your summer is going well and that you were able to get this letter past your father without too much trouble. I tried to make my handwriting look as messy as Jeremy's, but I don't think I quite managed it. Things are going fine here, even though Kate is getting on every single nerve I have, and it's been a real lesson in patience to keep from smothering her with a pillow while she sleeps. I miss you more than I would have ever thought possible, and I can't wait until September, so I highly recommend you use your summer to sleep because there won't be much opportunity for that the first few days of the new semester. By the way, you can thank Jeremy for finding your father's address for me. I owe him one, but don't you dare tell him I said that.

I hope you're getting to spend time with your sister and maybe even Jonathan, if he's not annoying you as much as Kate is annoying me. It's been harder than I expected to sleep here, and I'm almost positive it's because sleeping next to you has ruined me forever. I miss hearing the sound of your heartbeat when I'm laying on your chest, I miss feeling you breathe, but do you know what I miss the most? What I miss most is the way you always manage to pull me into your arms in the middle of the night, even when you don't wake up. I miss the annoyed way you call me "Abigail" when you get frustrated, the way your eyes light up when you find the answer to a question you've been struggling with…I miss you, Jed.

Anyway, that's enough of the mushy stuff, except for one last thing: I love you so much, babe, and I can't wait to see you again. I hope you're having a wonderful summer and that you don't spend the entire time indoors. Believe it or not, the outdoors can be lovely this time of year. Take care of yourself, and don't feel obligated to write back if it's not safe. More than anything, you'd better come back to me in the same condition you left. Be safe, Jethro.

All my love,

Abbey

The last line of her letter made him smirk, shaking his head as he carefully hid the piece of paper under his pillow, trying to picture her, to imagine what she might be doing at that very moment, and he closed his eyes, feeling more relieved than he had expected by her letter. He had trusted her implicitly when she'd told him that she wouldn't even consider trying to meet anyone else but knowing that she had taken the time to put pen to paper and take every possible precaution when mailing the letter made him feel like he had finally done something right with his life. Maybe, just maybe, something was actually going to work in his favour this time around.

It took every bit of self-control for Abbey to keep from screaming as she woke from a nightmare, not surprised in the least to feel her entire body shaking, but when she ran her hand over her face, she was more than a little proud at the fact that at least this time, she wasn't crying. Still, she wasn't sure she felt up to the task of trying to sleep again, and she quietly crept out of her old room, making her way silently down the hallway, intent on finding a glass of water. She was unprepared for the sight of her mother sitting at the kitchen table and she jumped, trying to control the frantic beating of her heart.

"Mom! What are you doing up?"

Her mother gestured to the small plate of cookies in front of her, a small smile on her face.

"Midnight snack," she said somewhat sheepishly.

"It's two in the morning," Abbey pointed out.

Her mother shrugged, and gave her a curious look, holding out the plate.

"Two AM snack?"

Abbey laughed quietly, shaking her head as she walked to the cabinet and pulled out a glass. She quickly filled it with water, and as she took a long drink, she tried to pretend that she didn't feel her mother's eyes watching her.

"Why are you awake? Having trouble sleeping?"

"Something like that," Abbey said, her tone a bit more bitter than she'd intended.

She didn't elaborate, though she knew her mother was dying to ask, and just as she was preparing to place her empty glass in the sink, she heard her mother's voice, quiet so as not to wake anyone else in the house.

"Abbey…I know we haven't really discussed what happened this past year, but I want you to know that if you want to talk about it, I'll always listen."

As much as she wanted to pretend otherwise, Abbey found herself wanting to confide in her, wanted the reassurance that could only come from her mother, and she nodded, filling her glass again and taking a seat next to her. She kept her voice low as she began to tell her of that very first encounter with her former professor, and when she reached the point in her story where Jed had come to her rescue in the library, her mother smiled, nodding slowly.

"I'm not surprised. Didn't you say Jed was studying to be a priest at that time?"

Abbey nodded.

"Yeah. Sometimes I still feel incredibly guilty that he gave that up for me. I mean, I'm only one girl. Jed could help millions by being a priest."

Lorraine Barrington shook her head, reaching out to take her daughter's hand, giving her a warm smile.

"Sometimes, the things we think we want aren't the best things for us in the long run. If Jed has decided that the church isn't the path he's meant to follow, it isn't anyone's place to tell him otherwise. He knows what's in his heart, and more importantly, God knows what's in his heart. You have to trust that Jed knows himself well enough to make the decisions that are right for him, and for what it's worth, I think he made the right choice. It's clear that he really cares for you, and you care for him more than I've ever seen you care for someone who wasn't related to you."

Abbey considered her mother's words as she continued her story, conveniently leaving out the parts where Jed had spent the night in her room and anything else that could be considered risqué (to say nothing of the overtly explicit details of her relationship), and when she reached her psychiatric appointment, she paused.

"Mom, I…I don't want you to get upset, but…I've also been seeing someone. A doctor. He's been helping me to process everything that has happened this past year, and…"

She trailed off, unsure of how to articulate what she wanted to say, and when her mother spoke again, her voice was so gentle that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

"Why would that upset me? I'm so glad that you're doing everything you can to cope with this in a healthy way. You're such a strong young woman, Abbey, but even strong people need help sometimes."

Abbey smiled, leaning over to hug her mother, feeling more thankful than ever that she had such a supportive family. It was such a contrast to Jed's family and this thought made her suddenly sad, frowning when she pulled away, sighing softly.

"What is it, Abbey? What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about how amazing you are and how lucky I am to have you and Dad as parents."

Lorraine frowned.

"So why do you look like someone just kicked a puppy?"

The question made Abbey pause, torn between confiding in her mother and wanting to protect Jed's secret, and she shook her head sadly, choosing her words carefully.

"I just…not everyone is that lucky, and it makes me sad to think about really good people who don't have the kind of love and support that every parent should show their children."

Lorraine nodded, understanding filling her eyes as Abbey reached for her glass, noticing the slight shaking in her daughter's hands.

"I'm guessing Jed's family isn't as supportive?"

"You could say that," Abbey muttered darkly, swallowing her water slowly, "His brother is away at school like Jed, and I know their mother passed quite a long time ago. He doesn't talk about her much, but I know he loves her."

"Honey, I know you don't want to spread family gossip or betray Jed's trust, but I have to ask: is Jed in danger with his family?"

Abbey sighed; her eyes sad as she looked at her mother.

"I hope not," she whispered, "I told him to stay safe."

God, she hoped he was safe.

Jed couldn't stop himself from smiling as he walked back to his father's house, feeling better than he had since his summer had begun. He'd just dropped a letter in the mail to Abbey, and on the way to the library, he had run into Delores Landingham, jumping at the chance to buy her a cup of coffee and catch up on everything they had both missed. She had been delighted to hear about the Dean's List, but if he didn't know better, Jed would have said that she seemed even more happy to hear about his relationship with Abbey, a detail that made him happier than he had expected. He had never truly realized just how much he valued her opinion until now, and to know that she approved of his decision made him feel as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

His step was light as he entered the house, taking care not to let the front door slam shut, and when he saw his father reading in his usual chair, he moved quicker, hoping to make it past him without being noticed.

"Jed."

Damn. No such luck.

"Yes, sir?"

"Did I raise you to be dishonest?"

Jed frowned.

"No, sir, I—"

"And yet you were. Is this something you've been learning in one of your classes? Or perhaps you picked up the habit from someone you met at school? Your roommate, maybe? The one you failed to mention as being female? Could that be because she isn't your roommate at all?"

With a jolt, Jed suddenly realized exactly what his father had been reading, and as his eyes locked on the letter in his hands, the younger man shook his head.

"How did you get that?"

He knew for a fact that he hadn't left it lying around where it would be easily discovered, and this could only mean that his father had gone into his room, clearly searching his personal belongings. This made him feel a combination of anger and fear that he hadn't expected, and he fought to keep both emotions under control when his father stood suddenly, making his way closer after he had tossed the letter on the table in front of him.

"Jed, I own this house. As long as you live in my house, I expect certain rules to be followed without exception and one of those rules is honesty. Not only did you outright lie to me, but you also attempted to hide it. Privacy is not a right, it's a privilege you must earn."

"It's just a letter, sir. And—"

"Just a letter?" his father repeated, "If it was just a letter, you wouldn't have hidden it. Furthermore, it's a letter from that girl, the one who was involved in that scandal at the school, isn't it? I thought the name seemed familiar. Jed, you come from an extremely well-respected family, and I won't have you tarnishing its reputation over some slut who will—"

"Don't call her that," Jed snapped, beyond angry now, "She's intelligent, she's beautiful, and she's a good person, which is more important than anything else about her. If you would ever look past your own self-centered world, you would—"

The slap that was delivered to his face was hard enough that he stumbled backward, his feet catching on the ornate rug on the floor, sending him to the ground. Jed cursed himself for not seeing it coming, and when his father took a step closer, he automatically moved backward, pulling himself to his feet, his eyes hard.

"Abbey is the best thing in my life, and I don't really care if you approve or not. I'm not a kid anymore, and I'm done with you treating me like I'm the dirt beneath your shoes. If you ever hit me again, I promise you that it will be the thing you regret for the rest of your life. And if you lay a hand on Jonathan, it will be even worse. I'm taking that letter back, I'm packing my things, and I'm leaving. And I don't want to talk about it anymore. Sir."

Jed moved quickly, grabbing the letter without even glancing at his father, and when he heard his father's voice again, he didn't bother to look back.

"That girl will drag you right down to hell with her."

Jed said nothing as he walked down the hallway to his old room, and as he began throwing his belongings into a bag, he noticed just how badly his hands were shaking. He did his best to ignore it as he finished packing, and it was only when he had left the room that it occurred to him that he had no idea of where he was going. He pushed the thought from his head, and as he walked out of the house, he was thankful he'd had the foresight to grab the money he'd had sitting on his bedside table. He fumbled through his pockets until he found a dime, and smiled in relief, feeling almost delirious as he realized what he had just done.

Making his way towards the library as fast as he could walk, he was overjoyed to find that no one was using the pay phone that was just outside the building, but he frowned as he remembered that he had no one he could call. He didn't know Jeremy's number, not to mention Abbey's, and he sighed as he came to a stop, leaning against the brick wall. Wait! He could always call information and see if they could find the Barrington's number. It would be a long shot, but it was the best idea his scrambled mind could think of at the moment.

After dialing the number for information and giving the operator the city he remembered Abbey mentioning during one of their first study sessions, Jed held his breath, anxiously waiting to hear the operator's voice.

"Sir, I have a listing for a James Barrington, is this the number you're looking for?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jed's relief was so strong he nearly fell against the building.

"One moment, please."

"Thank you."

The ringing in his ear went on for so long that Jed began to worry that no one was in the house, but he heard a quiet click, making him straighten immediately.

"Barrington residence."

Thank God…

"Mr. Barrington, I hope you don't mind my calling you at home. This is Jed Bartlet. May I speak to Abbey, please?"

"Jed! Of course! It's wonderful to hear from you. How is your summer going?"

"Very well, sir. I hope yours is, too."

"Thank you, Jed, it is. One moment, I'll get Abbey."

Though the moment felt as though it took ages, Jed knew only a few seconds had passed, and when he heard Abbey's voice on the line, he gripped the phone tighter without even realizing it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babe. How's your summer going?"

"Jed! I didn't expect to hear from you until September! How are things in New Hampshire? How's your sister? How's Jonathan?"

He laughed, touched that she referred to Mrs. Landingham as his sister, and shook his head as he spoke again.

"She's good and I haven't really seen Jonathan, so I can't say. I'm guessing he's okay. He crawls into the house in the early morning and stays out all night. Fairly typical. I just called to ask you a question, actually. Have you mailed any letters other than the first one you sent?"

"No," he could hear the confusion in her voice, immediately followed by panic, "I didn't get you into trouble with your father, did I? I'm so sorry! I thought that—"

"Abbey, slow down," he said with another laugh, "I just wanted to tell you that if you sent another one, I wouldn't be there to get it. I didn't want you to mail it if there was no point."

Abbey was silent for a moment, and he pictured her in his mind, perfectly able to imagine the look on her face as she realized what he'd meant.

"Jed, what happened?" she asked softly, "Where are you? Are you safe?"

"Don't worry about me, honey. I'm at a pay phone right outside the library. In full view of the entire street. He wouldn't dare risk his reputation in public."

"You didn't answer my question," Abbey said, "Was it the letter? He found it, didn't he? I'm so sorry, this is all my fault, I should have never—"

"It wasn't your fault," he assured her, "This has been a long time coming. I don't have much longer, I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you that I love you."

"I love you, too. Will you call me tomorrow just so I know you're safe?"

"Let me find something to write with," he said, praying he'd not lost the pen he always carried in his pocket.

After quickly scrawling Abbey's number on his hand, Jed hung up the phone, promising to call her the next day, and as he hung up, he sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Abbey had made a very good point. He had nowhere to go, and he would have rather slept on a bench than to ever return to his father's house.

What was he going to do?

As Abbey hung up the phone, she was too caught up in her worry to notice her parents standing just inside the living room, and when she sighed, she jumped at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Abbey, honey, is everything okay?"

She knew that had she been in the room with anyone other than her parents, she would have denied it, but she desperately needed the advice of someone wiser than herself, and she shook her head, trying to keep herself from crying.

"What happened? What did Jed say?"

"He…" she took a deep breath, "I sent him a letter at the beginning of summer. I used his roommate's name and changed my handwriting on the envelope, but his father found the letter. Something must have happened, because Jed left the house. I don't know where he is or if his father will try to find him, but…"

She blinked, her tears spilling down her face, and shook her head slowly.

"I know he did something to hurt Jed, and it's all my fault," she whispered, "I don't know if he's safe, or if he even has a place to stay tonight."

James Barrington glanced at his wife then his daughter, frowning in confusion.

"Why do you think Jed's father did something to hurt him? Has this happened before?"

Abbey nodded, wiping her hand under her eyes as more tears fell.

"I've seen the bruises, Daddy," she said quietly, "More than once. Every time Jed says anything his father doesn't approve of, every time he so much as breathes the wrong way. And the Bartlet's aren't poor, but Jed doesn't have much money himself right now. He worked a little last summer to save up some, but I'm sure it isn't enough for a hotel for the rest of the summer. If he goes back to his father's house and his father does something even worse, I—what do I do? I don't even have a number to call just to find him. He promised he would call tomorrow, but…"

"You mentioned that he has a brother? What about him?"

Abbey shrugged.

"Jed said he hadn't seen him much. He stays out of the house unless he's sleeping and it's only for a few hours even then. I don't—I'm scared, and I don't know what to do. How can I help him when I don't even know where he is?"

James Barrington wrapped his daughter in a fierce hug, kissing her hair as he met his wife's eyes.

"Try to stay calm, honey. When Jed calls tomorrow, we'll try to come up with a way to help him. Until then, all we can do is pray."

Jed was so lost in his thoughts that it took him several minutes to notice that someone was standing over him, and when he raised his head from his knees, he frowned as he realized that he knew the person in front of him.

"Jed, what are you sitting on the ground for?"

He shrugged, trying to make light of the situation.

"It's a nice day. Didn't want to spend it inside."

"Uh-huh. And why is there a bag next to you? Not only that, but do you even realize that you're bleeding? What happened to you?"

Jed sighed, running his hand lightly over the cut on his lip, shaking his head.

"Pissed off the wrong person."

"And that person wouldn't happen to be your father, would it?"

He nodded, and when she sat down on the ground next to him, Mrs. Landingham reached for his hand, squeezing it gently.

"You did the right thing, Jed," she said softly.

He frowned, glancing at her briefly.

"You don't even know what happened."

"No," she agreed, "but I know you and I know your father. Now, do you have any idea of where you're going to go? Based on the bag, I'm guessing you don't plan on going back?"

He shook his head.

"Well, I do. Come on. You're staying with me. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you sleep on the streets and I'm certainly not going to send you back into that house."

Though he would have normally refused the offer, Jed merely nodded, giving her a grateful smile as she stood, waiting for him to join her.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

She hugged him lightly, returning his smile, and nodded as they began walking in the direction of her car.

"You're welcome."

Abbey refused to leave the house the next day, anxiously waiting for the phone to ring, and when it finally did in the early afternoon hours, she jumped for it, her voice breathless as she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, gorgeous. How's your day going?"

She breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice, and immediately fell into the chair closest to her, feeling slightly dizzy.

"Jed, thank God. Where are you? Are you safe?"

"I'm fine, honey. I'm at my sister's. She's letting me stay until school starts, so you can stop pacing the floor trying to think of a way to fix everything. Don't even try to deny it, we both know that's exactly what you've been doing all night."

She laughed weakly, still too relieved that he was safe to really comprehend much else, and when she spoke again, she kept her voice soft.

"Now that I know you're safe…what happened? He found my letter, didn't he? Please don't lie to me, either."

"Yeah, he did," he admitted, "I'd hidden it in my room, but he must have gone through my things. Started saying that he didn't raise me to be dishonest and that as long as I was in his house, I had to follow all his rules. I tried to tell him it was just a letter, but he started saying that he wasn't going to allow me to ruin the family name by dating you. He said that we would both be going to hell."

He laughed a little at this, but Abbey didn't see what he could possibly find funny in the situation.

"Jed, I'm so sorry."

"I'm not," Jed said, his voice soft, "I would condemn myself to hell to be with you, in this life and whatever comes next. Even if God Himself gave me the chance to change my mind, I wouldn't take it. There isn't anything that means more to me than you, and I would do it again, exactly the same way. You gave me the strength and courage to stand up to him, and without you, I would have never even thought to try."

Abbey smiled in spite of the seriousness of their conversation, and nodded, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't see her.

"Jed?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll see you in hell."

He laughed, the sound quite possibly the most wonderful thing she had ever heard, and she could tell he was smiling when he spoke again, his voice warm.

"I'll save you a seat."

A/N: For the purpose of this story, we're also going to pretend that Notre Dame was co-ed in 1962. Just roll with it. Love you all so much!