"ABIGAIL!!!" Jed flung the door to the bathroom open furiously. "I'm gonna kill him!!"

"Jesus Jed, you scared the hell out of me," Abbey jumped, her hand moving to her chest, where her heart beat erratically. Jed was confronted by the startled eyes of his wife and Father Tom Cavanaugh. Then, as Abbey regained her composure, her eyes narrowed as she glared at her red faced husband.

"Just who are you planning on killing, Josiah?"

"Uh...nobody...I...just...well, what IS going on in here?" he stammered, completely mortified by his outburst.

"What does it look like?" Abbey asked sarcastically, as she held out her bleeding hand that Tom was in the process of bandaging. "I was doing the dishes and I cut my hand on a piece of broken glass. Tom was taking the glass out. What did YOU think was going on?"

"I...I don't know...I"

"Oh for heaven's sake Jed, I know exactly what you thought was going on. Is that the reason you came up here? Because you thought I was cheating on you?"

"No that's not why...I"

"Oh save it," she said shaking her head with disgust, "My God Jed, I don't even know you anymore," and with that statement she grabbed the gauze and brushed by him. Jed watched her form retreat down the hall.

"Well, I have to say this is a first for me," Tom said, amused. "I've never been the object of a jealous husband's ire before. I never thought I could cause that kind of heated response, especially at the advanced age of 76."

"I can't do anything right by her lately," Jed said, frustrated.

"You're here. That's a start."

"Has she talked to you at all?"

"Yes. But, you know I can't discuss that with you."

"Tom, I need all the help I can get," Jed sighed.

"Just be open," Tom smiled. "Open your ears, open your mind, and open your heart. Listen to what she has to say. Explain to her what is in your own heart."

"I don't know if she even wants to listen to me."

"Oh, she'll listen. She's hurting, Jed," he patted him on the shoulder. "Go find your wife. Make things right again."

Jed nodded at the priest and turned to go and do just that.

****

Jed poked his head into the nursery looking for Abbey. She was not there, but he was stopped by the sight of Nicholas and Aislinn sleeping peacefully in the same crib, each wearing just a white cotton t-shirt and a diaper. He moved forward to stand by the crib and watch them sleep, smiling with paternal tenderness. He watched their tiny exposed bellies rise and fall as they breathed. Nicholas sucked his fist as he slept, while Aislinn lay trustingly with her arms stretched wide. They were so tiny, so innocent, and so vulnerable that he felt a surge of protectiveness fill him. He thanked God they were too young to understand any of the strife that was going on around them at the moment. He knew it was a futile wish, but he did wish with all his heart that he could keep them from ever knowing pain or sorrow or heartbreak. That he could keep them safe forever.

"I love you guys," he whispered, "I'm going to fix everything with your Mom. I promise."

"Sir, could you come here please?" Hattie whispered from the doorway.

"What can I do for you?" Jed asked.

"I would appreciate it if you could restrict your visits to the nursery to when the babies are awake."

"Excuse me?"

"I am trying to get them on a schedule. If you wake them, you will throw off that schedule."

"I wasn't going to wake them. I was watching them sleep."

"Well, as long as we understand each other," she turned and walked away from him. Jed wasn't happy with how the nanny had just spoken to him about his own children, but, he had bigger issues to deal with at the moment. He had to find his wife.

It was evident that Abbey wasn't in the house, so Jed headed outside to search. He started down toward the gazebo where she sometimes liked to sit and think, or read. But the gazebo was empty. He turned and began to wander down the rocky trail overlooking their private beach. As he passed the small shed where they kept gardening supplies and beach chairs, he noticed the door had been left open. He moved closer to inspect and peered inside. Laying on the table was a large sketchbook. Jane's sketchbook. He stepped forward and opened it to the first page, then the second, and the third. He felt his throat constrict with emotion as he took in the subject of the sketches. It was Abbey. Abbey sitting on a rock staring out to sea. Abbey standing on the porch, arms wrapped around her waist, staring out to sea. Abbey standing among the beach roses, the wind blowing her hair, a baby on her shoulder, staring out to sea. This was an Abbey aching with sadness. Jane had captured the loneliness and despair with poignant intensity. How could he have ever believed she would be better off if he left her alone?

"Oh Abbey, what have I done?" He said sadly.

"Well, well, well, the prodigal husband returns," Jane said sarcastically from the doorway.

"Hi Jane."

"Don't hi Jane me. You took your sweet time getting here. Do you know what you have put my sister through? Do you know she doesn't think what she feels matters to you at all? Do you know she thinks your ambition has taken over your heart? Do you know she cries herself to sleep at night?"

"Jane, don't..." Jed said, closing his eyes against Jane's words and the image of Abbey crying in their bed. He knew his wife did not give in to tears easily, so he knew just what kind of pain he must have caused her in order for her to be overwhelmed by it.

"As I told your daughter, someone needs to kick you in the ass, Jed."

"Consider my ass kicked," he said. "You did that with your sketches. They're incredible. Abbey is so heartbreakingly beautiful and lost."

"You know what she is looking out to sea waiting for, don't you?"

"What?" Jed asked.

"You, you foolish jackass," she shook her head. "She's been waiting for you to come back to her, and not just your physical presence."

"I'm back," Jed assured her. "And I'd like to buy these sketches from you."

"They aren't for sale."

"I know you wouldn't sell them to the public, but, I'd like to buy them."

"I'll have to think about it."

"Fair enough. Whatever the price, you name it. Now I have to go find that sister of yours and try to redeem myself."

****

Jed finally found Abbey on the cliffs overlooking the crashing surf. She was sitting on a big rock in her bikini top and sarong, her knees drawn to her chest and she was staring wistfully out to sea, just as she had in the sketches. The sun was bringing out the fiery red highlights in her hair and, as he got closer, he could see her nose was slightly pink with sunburn. A few freckles that she hated and he loved were showing. He stood silently gazing at this beautiful woman who meant everything to him. She was his best friend. The one person in the world to whom he could confide all his hopes, his dreams, his secrets, and his fears. She was his lover, the one woman who could make him lose all sense of reason with just a glance from those teasing, mischievous, hazel eyes or a curve of that flirtatious, seductive smile. She was the mother of his children. The woman who had given him the five most amazing gifts in his life. The woman he had shared the incredibly intimate experience of giving life with, and then raising the new lives they had created together. She was the woman he had laughed with, cried with, fought with, and made love with since he was 22 years old. She was his soulmate. The person he was meant to grow old with. She was everything to him and it was time he made her understand that again.

"Abbey," he touched her shoulder gently, "mind if I sit with you?" Abbey didn't acknowledge his presence, she just continued to look out to sea. Jed sat down next to her, his own eyes gazing down at the crashing waves, while he willed himself to come up with the right words.

"How could you honestly believe that I would be up here screwing another man?" She asked, still not looking at him.

"I didn't, Abbey. I swear. I mean when I first heard a man's voice on the phone that jealous, jackass, part of me jumped to conclusions. But, I came to my senses. I know I can trust you. Then, when I heard your voices in the bathroom, I guess I just lost my head."

"Something you do quite often."

"When it comes to you, yes, I do. Sometimes, with you Abbey, I don't know if I am coming or going."

"I was wrong, Jed," she said softly, turning her cheek on her knee to look at him, "I have dealt with this all wrong. I ran away when I should have stayed and fought it out with you. I just needed to breathe. Away from your people. Away from the White House where I am outnumbered."

"You're never outnumbered Abbey...I..."

"MOM!" They both turned to see Zoey shouting down to them from the head of the trail.

"What?" Abbey called back.

"Hattie wanted me to tell you that the babies are awake and hungry and you didn't make up any bottles."

"Tell her I'll be right there."

Jed stood and gave Abbey his hand, helping her to her feet.

"We need to talk," he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Away from any interruptions."

"And just how will we accomplish that?" She asked.

"We'll go out for a moonlight cruise on the 'Abigail Anne' tonight. Just you and me. The service will stay on the cigarette boats. We're going to hash this all out once and for all, Abbey."

Abbey nodded her head and turned to go up the path. Halfway up, she turned back to him.

"By the way, Jed, why did you come up here?"

"Because I did a lot of thinking while you were gone and I made some major decisions. I wanted to share them with you in person, not on the phone."

Abbey stared hard at her husband, for once unable to read his face. She felt her heart tighten, as her mind began to race with just what kind of major decisions he had made, and how those decisions would affect their relationship and their family.

"I have to go feed the babies," she said softly and turned to go to the house.

****

Abbey entered the nursery to see Zoey changing Aislinn's diaper, while Hattie changed Nicholas.

"Oh, Mrs. Bartlet. It's a good thing you're here. You didn't make any reserve bottles," said Hattie, almost reprovingly. Abbey eyed her coolly as she began to unhook her bikini top.

"I didn't think I'd need to," she said, taking Aislinn from Zoey. "I didn't have any plans for the day. The President's arrival was a surprise." Abbey took a seat in the rocking chair and began to nurse her daughter. Hattie stopped in the middle of changing Nicholas to look at the First Lady. Secretly she had always thought it odd that a woman of Abigail Bartlet's stature was personally breast feeding her babies, but, then again, as she had been told, she was definitely from the old school.

"That's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"What?" Abbey asked, while running a finger lovingly over Aislinn's soft cheek.

"I already talked to him about it, but, I was hoping you would reinforce the issue for me. I asked the President not to visit the nursery while the twins are sleeping."

"What?" Abbey asked sharply, a frown marring her brow. Aislinn gave a small startled whimper at her mother's tone. "Ssh..." Abbey stroked her downy soft head soothingly, then looked back up at Hattie. "These are HIS children."

"I'm aware of that ma'am, but, as I told him, I can't have him coming in and disrupting their schedules. I know he said he was just watching them sleep but..."

"Are you telling me that your boss, the President of the United States, the FATHER of these two infants, came in here to watch them sleep and you told him he wasn't ALLOWED to do that? WE are the parents, not you."

"I need to have control of the nursery."

"You need to leave," Abbey said coldly. She then turned more warmly to her daughter, "Zoey honey, would you please finish changing Nicky's diaper?"

"Ma'am," Hattie huffed.

"I'm sorry Hattie, but, this just isn't going to work out. I need a nanny who understands that Jed and I are the parents of these babies and we will come and go as we please. You can pack up and I'll have a severance check with plane fare for you." Hattie gave her a stony stare and then turned and left the room.

"You go Mom," Zoey grinned broadly, admiration shining in her eyes. "I've never really liked her. She makes me nervous."

"To tell you the truth, I never did either, but she came so highly recommended, I thought I would give her the benefit of the doubt. But, now I have to find a new nanny, not to mention the fact that I made plans to go sailing with your father tonight."

"I'll babysit."

"Don't you have plans with your friends?"

"We'll just hang here and watch movies. You need to go with Daddy."

"I know," Abbey sighed and she felt the butterflies fill her stomach again. Oh Jed, she thought, twisting the wedding band on her finger, just what major decision are you going to drop on me tonight?

TBC... Story