Disclaimer: The characters
from the show aren’t mine, they belong to others. No copyright infringement
intended. Any characters you don’t recognise are mine. Again, if someone’s used
the name(s) or storyline(s) elsewhere, the same applies. Category: West Wing
hurt/comfort fic Rating: PG-13 Characters: Leo, Alex and
the WW gang Series: Yes – Part Five Spoilers: From Series 1
onwards Summary: Leo crashes the
car. That’s the least of his problems. Archive: Just tell me where
it’s going Additional ‘stuff’ Warning:
Domestic violence |
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Title: Driven to destruction
Part Five 'Father?' Opening
the front door, Alex was concerned at her father's sudden, and unexpected,
appearance. 'Is Leo
here?' 'No.
He's at a meeting.' Her
father sneered. 'AA?' Alex
sighed. 'What has Leo ever done to you?' 'Darling,
I didn't come here for a fight.' 'So why
are you here? Want a drink?' It was
Marburys' turn to sigh. 'You're beginning to sound like a native, 'And?' Marbury
decided his daughter was teasing him, and ignored her. 'When were you planning
to tell me of your forthcoming nuptials?' 'I
wasn't.' 'So it
seems.' 'If the
Pope doesn't grant...' Marbury
interrupted, trying to keep calm. 'The Pope?' 'The
President is trying to get us dispensation to marry.' 'Because as the most powerful man in the world, he obviously
has nothing better to do!' Alex
shook her head, her voice calm, in contrast to her fathers'. 'No,
because Leo is his best friend. Its what
friends, who also happen to be President, do.' Neither
of them heard the front door opening as Leo came home. 'I will never allow you
to marry Leo.' Alex was
angry now. 'If the Pope agrees, not even you could stop us.' 'I'd
rather you married a homeless person from one of the local shelters than
that...' 'If the
President knew what you were really like, he'd hate as much as I do right now.
Ow!' Leo was
pulling off his coat, undecided as to whether or not to intervene in a fight
between Marbury and his daughter. Alex's cry of pain decided it for him. He
almost ran into the sitting room, pulled Marbury away from Alex, who stood,
crying, her hand at her face. 'Get out
of my house!' 'Get
your hands off me!' Leo
stood back for a moment, and Marbury didn't even see Leo's fist until it was
too late. He stood, cradling his nose, blood dripping onto the carpet for only
a few seconds. 'You're both clearly mad. I shall leave. Marry this...gutter rat
if you must, but never come near me again.' Alex's
voice was soft, angrily calm. 'There is absolutely no danger of that, believe
me. Is that complete sentence sufficiently clear, father?' Alex
slumped onto the sofa, her whole body flinching at the sound of the front door
slamming. Leo held
her for several minutes until she stopped shaking. He took several deep breaths
before speaking. 'Tomorrow, you go the Embassy, find your Dad and tell him
you're not getting married.' Alex
looked up, distraught. 'You don't love me.' Leo
stroked her hair. 'I love you more than anything. But it isn't worth losing
your Dad. Believe me, I know.' Alex
shook her head. 'If the Pope fails to grant us dispensation, we're going to do
it anyway.' 'You
can't marry me just to get back at your Dad.' 'Is that
what you think?' 'It's
the truth. When you've had time to think about it, you'll realise it.' 'Do you
love me?' 'Sure,
but...' 'No. No
buts. You and I will be married, no matter what.' Alex got up, walked to the
door. Her voice was suddenly harsh. 'No matter what, Leo.'
At last, she saw the pain in Leo's eyes. 'If my father broke your ribs again,
I'm going to have to kill him.' Leo
groaned as he tried to get up. 'I'll help you.' *************** Dr
Michael Donnelly heard Alex's voice and began to speak before turning round.
'Hey, Dr J, your Dad was here last night. Someone broke his nose...' His
voice tailed off as he saw Alex's bruises, the cut on her lip still vivid. 'Was it
you?' 'No. It
was Leo. Just after my father did this.' Donnelly
was stunned. 'Did you call the police?' Alex shook
her head. 'No. I thought the news that the White House Chief of Staff and ******************* 'Leo.'
Alex held the telephone under her chin, flicking through a sheaf of notes as
she spoke. 'The
President has invited us for dinner. You don't have to come if you don't wanna.
I'll make some excuse.' 'Leo, if
I wanted to get of dinner at the White House, I am perfectly capable of finding
my own excuse. What time?' 'Eight.' 'Fine. I'll come straight from here. Michael goes past the White
House on his way home.' Leo
heard only one word in Alex's response. 'Michael?' 'He's a
colleague, Leo. Are you always this jealous?' 'I'm not
jealous of some ER doctor. I'm Chief of Staff to the President.' 'Right. See you later.' 'Sure
you don't want me to pick you up?' Alex
giggled. 'You can't actually drive yet Leo.' ****************** Thankfully,
Leo had related the events of the previous evening to the President and Abbey.
So when Alex was shown into the sitting room, there was no repeat of the
expression Michael Donnelly had had on his face when he saw Alex. 'Sir. Mrs Bartlet.' The
President frowned, his arm around Alex's shoulders as he spoke. ' 'Oh, I
don't think that's a good idea, Sir.' Leo got
up and brought Alex a drink. 'She's the daughter of a British diplomat. What
d'you expect?' 'Thank
you, Leo. I had managed to forget my father these past few hours. Cheers.' Alex
took her drink and knocked her glass against Leo's. 'How's the hand?' Leo
looked down at his red knuckles. 'It was worth it.' 'My knight in shining armour.' Bartlet
patted his friend on the back as he walked past. 'Somehow, I'm having a really
hard time picturing you at King Arthur's court.' 'Thank
you, Sir. Way to hit a man when he's down.' Abbey
said: 'Kids, play nice, huh.' Bartlet
said: 'Dinner's ready.' ****************** Alex had
taken little part in the debate on abortion which had somehow started during
dessert. As they
walked back into the sitting room carrying their coffees, she sat on the arm of
one of the chairs until Bartlet called across: 'I don't think there are any
circumstances where it should be that easy. You're a doctor, Alex, what do you
think?' 'I
really don't want to join in this discussion, Sir.' Bartlet
didn't see the warning look his wife gave him. 'But you must have an opinion,
surely?' Alex
looked at Leo. Then she put her cup on the coffee table. 'Picture it, Sir.
You're in your first term at University. You're think you're alone in the house
you share with three other people. You go into the kitchen, and find someone
there you don't know. He tells you he's a friend of one of your housemates.
Next thing you know, your housemates are crowded round you in the ambulance. A
month later, you find out you're pregnant. By the man who raped you. You have
an abortion. You don't tell anyone, you just do it. Your religious beliefs tell
you you'll burn in Hell for all eternity for what you did.' Leo
started to get up, then stopped as Alex continued.
'Then someone lets it slip. Your parents find out. They can't believe you didn't tell them. Your
father takes it particularly badly. The idea that someone
could do that to his little girl. And that she couldn't tell him what
had happened. The police never catch the man responsible, so you spend the next
three years looking over your shoulder, making sure you're never in the house
alone. People who don't know what happened think you're weird. Never letting a
man touch you, let alone get any closer. And, years later, late at night, when
you're lying next to the man you love, you wake up, remembering. Don't think I
wouldn't have done anything to get rid of that baby, whatever I had to do.
Legalised abortion just means I went to a hospital, not a woman with a knitting
needle.' Alex's
voice was suddenly soft. 'What do I think? I think you have to experience
something before you can pass judgement on it.' There
was an uncomfortable few seconds of silence, then Alex
put her arm around Leo's waist, helping him to his feet. 'Let's get you home.
Goodnight Sir, Mrs Bartlet.' **************** As they
walked to the bedroom, Leo asked gently: 'You okay?' Alex
walked all the way into the room before replying. 'Yes. I'm sorry. I shouldn't
have lost my temper.' 'Don't
worry about it. The President didn't mean for this to happen.' Alex was
silent as she helped Leo out of his jeans and t-shirt and into bed.
'Goodnight.' 'You
wanna sit with me for a while?' 'Okay.' Alex
climbed onto the bed and lay next to Leo, her head under his chin, careful not
to press on his chest. Leo said quietly: 'You know the President and Abbey know
you were in my room that morning.' Alex
sighed. 'Yes.' Leo
smiled. 'If only they knew what we were doing.' 'I think
they probably imagine it was a Hell of a lot more exciting than it was.' Leo was
hurt. 'I did my best.' 'If I
hadn't come home at lunch-time to lay everything out ready, Leo, you would
never have managed to get dressed for dinner on your own, however much we
practised that morning. I'll see you in the morning.' 'Stay.' Alex
shook her head. 'I can't Leo. I just can't. Not yet.' 'We
don't have to...' 'I'll
see you in the morning Leo. I don't start until two. I'll come and make sure
you are taking it easy.' And then she was gone, the front door closing loudly
as she left quickly. ************** Alex
rushed into the apartment, flung her briefcase on the chair, and ran into the
bedroom. Leo was sitting on the bed, tying his bow tie, clearly ready to leave.
As she undressed, Leo went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Alex was
relieved she had spent time that morning laying out the clothes she was going
to wear. The evening's performance was for charity, and the dress she had
chosen was dark blue silk, with a wide low neckline. She was also going to be
wearing low-heeled shoes. She was conscious that she was several inches taller
than Leo, and didn't want to make it worse by wearing high heels. As he
zipped up her dress, Leo opened the dressing table drawer. Laid out in the
velvet lined jewellery compartment was a three-strand necklace. Alex gasped as
she touched it gently. 'Leo! It's beautiful.' Pleased
at her reaction, Leo reached over her shoulders and picked up the two ends of
the necklace and lifted it onto her neck. As he fastened it, her fingers
touched the pearls as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Seeing
her face, Leo said quickly: 'Don't cry. You'll smudge. And we don't have time
for you to start over.' Alex's
voice shook as she said quietly: 'I don't deserve this.' 'You put
up with me. God knows how you stand it, but you do. This is to say thanks.' ***************** Most of
the seats set out in front of the open-air stage were already filled, but Leo
pointed across to the end of one of the first few rows. 'We're over there.' Alex had
been especially conscious that his was the first time many people had seen her
and Leo together. Some nodded, a few came over, and Leo introduced her.
However, she noticed many had kept a deliberate distance, and she was sure Leo
had noticed. Alex
reached for Leo's hand in the middle of the first act, and he looked across and
smiled. Alex leaned over. 'I knew you would enjoy it when you got here.' She
had been about to say something else, but as she held his hand, her fingers
touched his and it took her a few seconds to work out that he wasn't wearing
his wedding ring. As they
walked back to the car, he was quiet, and Alex was sure it was due to the
reaction of many people he had considered friends to her presence. ***************** Watching
Alex as she sat in front of the dressing table mirror, trying to unclip the
catch on her necklace, Leo pulled his bow tie off and came across. 'Need a
hand?' 'Yes.' Leo's
fingers brushed her bare shoulders as he unhooked the clasp. She took a deep
breath, leaning back towards him. 'Admit it, you enjoyed the play.' Leo
shook his head. 'I hated every second.' 'Liar.' 'I just
realised. Your dad is like Capulet.' Alex
giggled. 'Leo, promise me you'll never poison yourself.' 'Promise
me you'll never make me sit through another Shakespeare play.' Relieved
Leo seemed happier, Alex said: 'Deal.' Click
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