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Title: A shoulder to cry on
One of the many
‘difficulties’ – Leo refused to call them problems even in his mind – of being
confidant and occasional top to Jed Bartlet was knowing when Jed needed
something even when he didn’t know he needed it.
This was one of those times.
It wasn’t immediately clear to Leo exactly what the ‘what’ Jed needed was after
the evening they had just had. But it would become clear. It always did.
Leo sat at his desk, not
reading the contents of the folder open on the desk in front of him.
Predictably, it was only moments before Jed opened the connecting door between
their offices.
‘Leo, do we have time?’
Leo got up. ‘Yeah.’ He followed Jed out.
**********************
Leo tucked the covers around
Jed. ‘Sleep. I’ll wake you in time to change.’ He
straightened up, folding Jed’s jacket, shirt and pants over the back of a
chair, then sat back down, checked his watch alarm was set, then
leant back, closing his eyes.
Jed slept restlessly,
tossing and turning, for almost two hours. Eventually he gave in, rolling onto
his side, watching Leo as he dozed in the chair beside the bed. Some feeling of
being watched woke Leo and he blinked several times, yawned, stretched, and
smiled. ‘Hey.’
Jed didn’t smile. ‘Leo…’
Leo sighed. ‘This wasn’t
your fault.’
Jed nodded. ‘I know. Really. I know. But still…’
Leo lifted himself up
tiredly. ‘Yeah.’ Walking to the door, he asked the
Agent outside to find Ron Butterfield.
After a few minutes wait,
Ron appeared in the corridor and took the place of the younger man. Satisfied,
Leo closed the door and lowered himself onto the bed. He waited for Jed to
arrange himself over his lap, and when Jed was comfortable, head and thighs
supported with pillows, head resting on his folded arms, Leo paused a moment. ‘This
*wasn’t* your fault Jed.’
Softly Jed replied: ‘I know.’
Satisfied, Leo put his left
hand in the small of Jed’s back and brought his right hand sharply down on Jed’s
soft cotton boxers.
Surprisingly, Leo only
landed one more smack before Jed’s shoulders began to shake. A third smack and
Jed was crying softly. Leo stopped and stroked Jed gently from neck to waist. ‘Jed…’
Haltingly, Jed whispered: ‘It
wasn’t my fault.’
Leo smiled and continued to
hold Jed safely, stroking gently until the heaving sobs slowed and finally
stopped.
Carefully, Jed rolled in Leo’s
grip, looking up at his friend, managing a watery smile. ‘Thank you.’
Lifting his arm away, Leo
nodded. ‘Anytime Sir.’
Pulling on his own jacket,
Leo lifted Jed’s from the back of the chair and held it until Jed emerged from
the adjoining bathroom, face washed, hair combed. Leo
held the jacket open and Jed backed into it, squirming until it was on.
‘Ready
Sir?’
Jed swallowed, took a deep
breath and nodded. ‘Yeah.’
*******************
1600 – a nightclub – later that
night
Susanna looked across. Leo McGarry. It had been a while. But she still smiled and
walked across, turning back to the bar. ‘Jimmy, close up would you?’
The barman nodded, looking
across the room for the reason for the request. The White
House guy. He wondered briefly why Susanna put up with the infrequent
visits. Then he saw her. She smiled, her flirtatious look taking ten years off
her. He smiled, shook his head and pulled his attention back to the men and
women clamoring for his attention around the bar.
‘Hey
Tommy.’ Susanna drawled.
‘Hey.’ Leo forced a smile.
‘Oh dear.’ Susanna’s English accent returned and she smiled,
putting out a hand. Close up, Leo’s exhaustion was obvious. As
was the warmth of his hand.
‘You’re hot. Are you
unwell?’ Susanna put a concerned hand to his forehead and Leo shook his head.
Susanna sighed and lead Leo towards the door, waiting for Leo to unlock it with
the key he pulled from his jacket pocket. She pushed it to as they walked up
the staircase, the noise of the club diminishing as they ascended.
**********************
Later still…
Susanna lay with her head on
Leo’s chest, sighing contentedly as Leo’s fingers carded through her long hair.
‘You have to get back.’
‘You been to psychic night
class again?’ Leo teased, already lifting himself up.
‘Was it bad?’ Susanna
propped herself up on one elbow, watching Leo as he dressed.
Leo nodded. ‘Yeah.’
Susanna handed Leo his watch
from her nightstand. ‘This will make you smile.’
Leo leaned down and kissed
her forehead. ‘I’m smiling.’
‘If the name of the
Department of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms was Firearms and Tobacco, its
acronym would be DAFT.’
Leo laughed. ‘Thank you.’
Susanna smiled. ‘Any time
Tommy. Any time.’ She rolled onto her stomach, tucking
the sheet around her. ‘He’s lucky to have you Leo.’
‘I’m lucky to have you.’ Leo
replied, almost automatically.
Susanna laughed softly. ‘Once more with feeling Leo.’
Leo frowned. ‘Sorry.’
Susanna shook her head. ‘Go.
Come back another time when you haven’t had a such a
crappy night.’
‘You sure you wanna wait
that long? You might be dead.’
Susanna made a disgusted
noise. ‘Leo!’
Leo got up, walking to the
door. ‘Thank you.’
Smiling, Susanna watched him
open the door, the light flooding into the dark room. ‘Does he know how lucky
he is to have you?’
Leo nodded. ‘We both do.’
Susanna’s laughter followed
Leo out.
**********************
Dover 3.45 am
Leo sat in the car,
watching. Jed stood, head bowed for a moment before he straightened up as the
first of the flag-draped coffins slid from the aircraft. Unconsciously, he sat
up a little straighter, closing his eyes for a moment, then opening them,
staring out as the dead were returned to US soil. Wincing slightly, he released the tight grip
his left hand had had on his right and sat back, waiting for Jed to join him
for the journey back to the White House.
End
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