Changes

by: Allison

Character(s): Jed, Abbey
Pairing(s): Jed/Abbey
Category(s): Drama, AU
Rating: MATURE
Summary: A (probably AU) view of what might happen after "the announcement."

When the phone rang he picked it up with trembling hands that had nothing to do with his medical condition. "Elizabeth, honey," he said as he gestured for his wife to take the phone. "Yeah, we know. Honey, we told them." He paused, his eyes meeting his wife's across the room as a stream of surprised indignation flowed from the receiver. "Yeah, we knew she'd hear it from kids at school. But this was the only thing to do. It was coming out anyway, it was going to come out." He paused, listening. "I don't know. We don't know. Toby thinks -"

His daughter's opinion of Toby had never been strong, and now it came pouring across the phone lines of half the East Coast. "I know you've never - sweetheart - he's not saying I should resign, he's saying there's the possibility that - I know. I know, Lizzie. I -"

He turned, not startled so much as saddened, to his wife. "She hung up."

"I know," she replied, gesturing toward the receiver she was still holding. "She has a right to be upset, for her sake and Annie's. We knew this would happen when we made the decision -"

"Yeah," he acknowledged.

"You want to call Ellie?"

He took a deep breath. "Has she called?"

"No."

"You think she watches the news?"

"I know she doesn't."

He focused carefully on inhaling and exhaling. "We'll call her before the press conference tomorrow. Let's go to bed."

*********************

"I think you should go home."

He looked up as if surprised to hear her speak. "You can go. I'm sorry. It's late."

She shook her head, and her normally throaty voice was almost husky with concern. "I didn't suggest it because I wanted to get out of here. I think you should go home and get some rest."

"Oh, would you stop -"

"No, I will not," she replied with a force that made his tired eyes snap open. "Nobody looks after anybody around here and that's why we're all falling over ourselves when something like this happens because nobody knows what to do. I have seen you fall apart before and I don't even care, I'm not letting you do it again, and you need to go home!"

They looked at each other for a long while, her chest heaving with her agitated, nervous breathing. "Are you assuming that he's out and you're about to lose your job anyway?" he asked curiously.

Something in his tone told her that she hadn't really crossed the line she'd thought she had. "I'm assuming it's not worth keeping me in my job if I'm not doing it properly, and if I let you stay here and eat at yourself all night then I'm not doing my job." She looked back at him evenly, practically daring him to cross her. It was late, the final crisis had come, and she felt suddenly empowered to do everything she had ever wished and not back down.

He looked right back at her, listening to the seconds tick by on his watch. Finally he got to his feet. "I'm keeping my cell on, in case anyone needs me. I'll be back at five."

"You should -"

"Five," he repeated firmly. "There's still a country to run. You can stay out till six."

"I'll be here at five," she challenged, rising and matching his stance.

"Six," he said, beating her at her own game.

She acknowledged defeat with a nod, adding, "If you need me for anything..."

"I won't."

"Okay." She stepped back to allow him access out of the office.

He turned to her before leaving, and she knew what he was going to say before he said it, but she was relieved to hear it all the same. "You're a good girl."

This time she replied, "You need one."

*******************

"Over?" she repeated, the word echoing ominously in the small office. "You mean the story, or..."

"Everything, I don't know," he replied tiredly. "Who knows? Who the hell
knows what the press is going to say, what the -" He was too exhausted, to weary to finish.

She moved silently, sitting down on the couch where she could see at least the side of his face. "Are you going to put out a poll?"

"You bet we are," he said bitterly. "Right after the press conference. We need to put a poll in the field to tell us the country's lost faith and trust and..." She hadn't seen the ball he was turning over and over in his hand, until he threw it hard against the wall just below the window. He threw wildly this time and instead of coming back to him it ricocheted off the desk and flew into the side of the bookshelf, where she had to move quickly to keep it from hitting her foot.

"Were you waiting until he told the rest of the staff?" she asked softly.

"Waiting for what? The press conference? We did think the rest of the staff deserved to hear from him and not from the night news - especially C.J."

"I'm sorry," she almost whispered. "That was a stupid question. I just - I don't know what to -"

He turned to face her for the first time, and his face looked a little bit chagrined in the shadows. He extended a hand, which she stared at hard but didn't take. She knew this was going to be like last time, and it would feel good for a minute - good, and safe, and secure - but it would be a bad idea nevertheless.

He didn't back off, re-extending his hand and saying quietly, in such familiar tones that the corners of her eyes pricked and burned, "It's okay. I'm sorry. Come here."

She knew from reliable experience that when they pulled away he would get up and flee the scene and that she would miss him for days while he refused to talk to her, but she was weak and so she went for the instant gratification of his arms around her and his shirt against her face.

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

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