With Determination and Honor

by: Ginny

Pairing(s):Jed/Abbey
Category(s):General
Rating: YTEEN
Disclaimer: The usual.
Summary: Something is wrong with Gov. Jed Bartlet.
Feedback: Feedback is greatly appreciated.
Author's Note:Thanks to Becky who boosted my self esteem more than once and to Janie, our medical advisor.

Part 2

When they arrived back at the farm Abbey put on the kettle for tea and sent Jed up to change out of the clothes that were stained with blood. Jed still hadn't come back into the kitchen by the time the kettle whistled so Abbey poured herself a cup and drank it alone.

She thought of confronting him about the accident that had happened that afternoon but decided to let him be. She knew he was exhausted. After her tea she climbed the stairs to their bedroom to check on him. She found him sound asleep on the bed sprawled out on top of the quilt. At least he had changed out of his clothes and was now wearing pajama bottoms and a Notre Dame t-shirt. She went into the bathroom and put the bloody shirt in a sinkful of cold water and got her own pajamas on.

She woke Jed up enough to pull the quilt out from under him and cover him up. She sat down on her side of the bed and just watched him. He was sleeping on his stomach, his left arm tucked under his head and his right one hanging off the bed. He had his face towards her, the bruise on his cheek had grown in size and deepened in color over the past few hours. She reached over to smooth back his hair. She kissed his forehead which was a little warm. She thought about just joining him and getting some sleep herself but she wanted to ponder the situation some more. And it was only 10:00 at night, much earlier than she was used to retiring.

She went back downstairs to get the books she had brought home. She contemplated making a phone call but decided to wait until the morning.

She propped up her pillows and sat on the bed next to him, reading and making notes for well over an hour. Jed barely stirred.

She reread her notes and some things started to come together in her mind. There seemed to be some kind of common thread to his symptoms. They were always accompanied or quickly followed one of two things. Either an illness, usually with a fever, or a time when Jed was under a great deal of emotional stress. She wasn't sure what her revelation meant but she was pretty sure it was important.

She slid off the bed and paced around the room for a while, thinking and worrying. She glanced back to the bed when she heard Jed moving around.

"Honey, you OK?" she asked as she crossed the room and sat next to him on the
bed.

He sat up, leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands.

"My head is killing me and, oh I don't know, I just don't feel right"

"Dizzy?"

"Yeah, a little." he sighed trying to hide how bad he really felt.

She moved closer to him and stuck her hand under his shirt to rub his back. She was startled at how warm he was.

"Jed, you're really warm. Let me get you something for the fever and then since you are awake we are going to talk, OK?" She got up to go into the bathroom.

"Now, isn't it the middle of the night?"

"Jed, look at the clock, it's 11:30" she yelled from the bathroom.

"Oh"

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

| << back |send feedback | The National Library |