"Are you asking me if I put a hit out on that son of a bitch?" Jed was surprised by his wife's immediate assumption.

"Jed, you were so angry. You wanted to kill him."

"Yes I did. I even regretted not killing him. I could have done it, Abbey. I've known since that night in Boston that I have it in me to do that. But, if I were going to kill him I would have done it right here with my own bare hands. I wouldn't make others do my dirty work." He turned to Ron who was now standing in the kitchen. "How exactly did this happen?"

"Somehow he got hold of a shank and sliced his wrists. By the time the guards found him he had bled to death."

Abbey sat down at the table her legs having suddenly gone weak with relief. It was over. It was finally completely over. Marcus Hughes would never send her another creepy, demanding love note. He would never give her another chilling phone call. She would never spend another night wondering if he was going to try to get to her through her children. He would never touch she or her children or her husband EVER again. He no longer existed. That was going to take some getting used to. She swallowed past the lump in her throat a part of her still unable to believe that the nightmare was really over. There would be no trial. No humiliating explanations of what Marcus Hughes had done to her. No defense lawyer trying to say that she wanted his attention. It was truly over.

While relief was the emotion that overwhelmed his wife, it was suspicion that overwhelmed Jed. He'd heard from other agents that Hughes had threatened to commit suicide and yet there obviously hadn't been any suicide watch on him. He was the perpetrator of the murders of two Secret Service agents and a sexual assault against the First Lady and yet, somehow somebody had gotten a shank in to him? Knowing how heavily guarded Hughes would have been that simply didn't make any sense. Things were just not adding up. Before he could question Ron any further the jarring ring of the phone pierced the silence.

"I'll get it." Abbey stood and headed to the living room for the phone. She had been fielding calls from her family all morning. The break in at Harmony Point had been all over the news. She and Jed had tried to get in touch with their immediate family members last night to warn them of what they would be seeing on the news and to alleviate any fears that Abbey or the twins had been hurt. Unfortunately they hadn't been able to reach everyone.

"Hello" she answered.

"Mom, what is going on down there? Every channel is covering the fact that your agents were killed and you were attacked by Marcus Hughes." It was Elizabeth and she sounded very upset.

"Didn't Jay tell you that I called last night to give you a heads up and to let you know that I'm OK?"

"Yes, but I tried calling you all night after I got home and I didn't get an answer. I started to get worried that it was more than the press was reporting."

"That was your father. He took the phone off the hook so that I wouldn't be disturbed. I'm sorry if that worried you."

"Mama, are you REALLY Ok?" Abbey could hear the tears in her eldest daughter's voice. "I watched CJ's statement and she said that you weren't hurt but I know that probably isn't the whole truth."

"Not the whole truth, no." Abbey admitted.

"He was there to…to…"Liz just could not bring herself to use the word. "…To do it again, wasn't he?"

"Yes. That was his intention but…"

"Mama, are you hiding anything from the press… did he hurt you?"

Abbey teared up at the concern and pain in Elizabeth's voice. The love she received from all these beautiful daughters that she and Jed had created could at times humble her and almost bring her to her knees. All had been ready to come rallying to her side at the drop of a hat. "Not in the way you're asking. He hit me a couple times and made some threats, but your father and his agents got here before he could make good on those threats. I'm fine Lizzykins, really."

Jed listened from the kitchen to make sure that Abbey was deep in conversation then turned to Ron.

"What's the real story, Ron. Did Hughes really kill himself or did somebody order this?"

"He really killed himself."

"I heard that he threatened suicide. Why wasn't he on a suicide watch?"

"That was my call. I thought it was a ploy. He knows exactly what happens to rapists when they get into prison. He wanted solitary. I wasn't going to give that to him." Ron's usual calm, professional tone took on a bitterness that Jed had never heard before.

"So you're saying that neither you nor any other Secret Service agent had anything to do with the death of Marcus Hughes?"

"I wouldn't say that, no." Ron looked at his boss. He owed this man the truth. Jed Bartlet had foregone powerful analgesics and hospital medical care in order to keep him from losing his job. "We may not have killed him, but we certainly helped him do it to himself."

Ron thought back for a moment at the guilt that he had felt after the attack. He had failed in this situation on so many fronts. His first mistake had been the blinders that he had worn from the start. He hadn't even begun suspecting his staff until it was much too late. The fact that he hadn't probed this area of the investigation earlier had contributed to Lori's being able to help Hughes get into the house and get at the First Lady and her children. Had he looked to his colleagues sooner he might have spared Mrs. Bartlet the pain and humiliation of what she had gone through yesterday.

Right from the start Abigail Bartlet had been so afraid that Hughes would get to her, yet all the men surrounding her, including him, had promised that he would not. That they would not let him. Despite her fear, she had dealt with everything with such courage and dignity. Never in his entire career had he felt such an incredible sense of impotence as he had watching Marcus Hughes putting his hands all over the First Lady and watching her distress over it. Had it not been for little Nicholas Bartlet's cry for his mother over the baby monitor he would have had to stand there doing nothing while the First Lady was orally sodomized and most probably raped right in front of him and her husband.

Speaking of that husband, he knew that he was breaking every rule in the book by allowing the President into such an explosive situation, but he had allowed his emotions to rule over his intellect. He had gotten to know the President exceedingly well in the days since Rosslyn. This had especially been the case during the past few months while his wife had been stalked. He had gotten to know him as a loving, worried, and frustrated husband and father. And Mrs. Bartlet, well he had gotten to know her pretty well in those self-defense classes he had given her. Suddenly she was more than just the lovely wife of the President. He'd gotten to know her as a real person. Gotten to see her humor, her spirit, her courage and even her frailty when everything just became too much and she broke down in her husband's arms.

Until recently there had always been a bit of a wall between he and the first couple. That was the way that it was supposed to be. He was basically their bodyguard and he always tried to be as unobtrusive in that role as possible. Because of this he had seen and heard a lot of things he was sure the two would be embarrassed about if they knew. But, he'd also watched them as a family. He'd seen the President laugh and tease his elder daughters and the First Lady lovingly nurse their two newest. He'd watch them both playing on their hands and knees with the twins and the joy the President took at having his whole brood around him at holiday dinners. He had even held the President's son in his arms while the man beamed at him with undisguised pride. Never, in all his years as an agent had he felt such an emotional commitment to the people he was trained to protect. That was not exactly a good thing. In his business emotions were a dangerous thing to have. In fact, allowing yourself to be ruled by your emotions in this business could be very deadly indeed.

Never had that been more the case then yesterday when he allowed the President to enter the house. He knew exactly how strongly the President felt about his wife and in conjunction with that, just how filled with fury he was with Marcus Hughes. It was a lethal combination that had almost culminated in his death. Had the knife struck his heart rather than his arm the President's body might be lying in state right at this moment.

Still, Ron couldn't help but feel an amazing respect for the man's courage. Without any thought to his own safety or for his own life, Jed Bartlet had jumped in front of a knife meant for his wife. That one action told Ron more about what kind of man the President was than anything else he had witnessed. The bravery and the sheer depth of the President's love for his wife had been a sight to behold and one that Ron would never forget.

Yet, he knew the outcome would have been different if he had kept the President outside. He probably would have had a sniper take Hughes out and that scum would have been dealt with once and for all. Because he hadn't done that the First Lady was going to have to go through a huge media circus of a trial. She would have to re-live not only her first rape trial, but also what had just happened to her here in Maryland. He'd read the transcripts of her trial in Boston and it filled him with guilt to think that because of him she was going to have to go through that type of degradation again. He found out very quickly that he wasn't the only one who felt that way when he overheard a conversation between Leo McGarry and the President not long after the First Lady had stitched him up.

"Did he rape her, Jed" Leo asked tightly. The question was friend to friend not chief of staff to President.

"No, but he damn near did. I got his knife Leo. I had it held right to his jugular. I wanted to kill him for what he did to her, not just this time, but for before in Boston. A part of me wanted to watch him die."

Leo stood staring at his best friend. This was a side to Jed that he had never really seen before, at least not since Abbey had been attacked the first time. "What stopped you?"

"Abbey. She brought me to my senses. But, I still can't help wishing that he were dead. When I think about what Eliot Rhoush did to her on that witness stand and I think about her having to go through all of that again it KILLS me. She doesn't deserve that, Leo. God, I'd do anything to keep her from having to go through all that again."

"Maybe we can."

"What?"

"Maybe we can keep her from going through all that again. I'm sure there are ways to have this taken care of."

Jed looked at his friend in shock. It took a moment to register that Leo had just suggested putting a "hit" on a man. For one brief, insane moment he almost jumped at the idea. Taking Hughes out would solve all their problems. But, a "hit"? That was so cold blooded. It was murder. He knew that he could have eased his conscience if he had killed Marcus when he had the chance with the assertion that he was protecting and defending his wife. But, if he did it now he would simply be a murderer.

"I'm not the Godfather, Leo. I can't order a hit."

Leo stared at him for a long moment. He'd wanted so badly to say, "I can", but he was afraid that Jed would see the hidden meaning in those words. That he might somehow see just how he felt about Abbey. "You're right. Stuff like this can come back to haunt you. If it ever got out we'd be finished."

This time it was Jed's turn to look hard and long at his friend. Leo hadn't gotten it all. He had been speaking of moral values when he said he couldn't do it. For Leo it was simply the fear of being caught. Well, Leo had never lived in the world of moral absolutes that he lived in. Jed knew that very well about him and accepted it.

That conversation had gotten Ron thinking about a way to make Hughes disappear without the President's involvement. The easiest way to do that seemed to simply let him do exactly what he threatened to do. He had not put Hughes on suicide watch. Instead he had sat with the rapist for an hour almost goading him to do it.

"We'll be seeking the death penalty of course," Ron informed him.

Despite his puffy, swollen face and the black eyes, Hughes still held an air of defiance. "The President is against the death penalty, " he stated smugly. "It won't look so good for him politically if he suddenly changes his mind because his wife was attacked."

"It won't be for the assault on the First Lady. It will be for two counts of first degree murder for the two agents that you killed. We'll tack on two attempted murders, assault, and attempted sexual assault as well."

"Don't you mean three attempted murders? After all I did stab the President of the United States." Marcus gave a self-satisfied smile at the memory of sending that blade into the President's flesh. "No, I don't think you'll bring that up, will you? I think you better start thinking in terms of a deal because if I speak out the whole world will know all about the President's involvement. I think that we can come up with some mutually beneficial deal, a deal where I'm able to get parole. Then when I get out I WILL take Abigail away with me and make her mine again.

"She was NEVER yours, you sick little pervert," Ron spat. "She HATED everything about you. She hated you so much she took classes from me to keep you from being able to paw at her again. The thought of your touch made her SICK. She broke your fucking nose. What more evidence do you need?"

"Once I get her away from HIM she'll change her tune, " Hughes seethed. "You don't know anything about me and Abigail."

"I know that there is no YOU and Abigail. I know that you'll never get her away from her husband. In fact when I left the farmhouse she was wrapped pretty tightly in his arms." Ron had the pleasure of seeing Hughes face flush red with anger. "What you need to know is that I don't give a damn about my job at this point. If it means getting you to fry I will happily add attempting to kill the President of the United States to your list of crimes. And, until you do fry, your life here is going to be a living hell. I think you already know what they do to rapists in prison.

Hughes' glared at Ron. Yes, he did know and it was one reason he had vowed not to be taken alive.

"Well, I think we'll pass the word along that not only did you attempt to rape the First Lady, you hurt and threatened to kill her innocent baby. Hurting kids doesn't really go over all that well in prison does it? I think you are going to be having some real problems quite soon." He stood as if to leave.

"You can't just go, " Hughes said with an edge of fear now in his voice. "I need protection."

"You should have thought of that before you killed and injured four of my agents. Ron icily stared the other man down. "You should have thought of that before you put your filthy hands around Nicholas Bartlet's tiny neck. You should have thought of that before you grabbed the First Lady between her legs in front of her husband and me. AND, you should have thought of that before you stabbed the President of the United States on MY watch."

Ron turned to leave, ready to hand Hughes over to the wolves. As he approached the door he saw Tim Carruthers, a man who had been on Abbey's detail from day one, slyly drop a shank on the floor near the corner. Ron felt a moment of shock. This was more than giving Hughes over to the wolves. This was giving the man a way to kill himself. Tim caught Ron's eye and faced him with a steady gaze. He had no way of knowing just how his boss was going to react to this blatant violation of ethics. He was rewarded after a long silent moment with a mere nod of the head and the two exited the room.

* * * *

Jed didn't know what to say. He knew all about guilt and how it could eat at you. Now this man who's job it was to protect he and his family was standing before him telling him to what lengths he had gone in order to do just that .He was very moved by how deeply that Ron cared for his family.

Ron waited for an outburst of anger, for the President to remark upon his stupidity and unprofessionalism. He didn't receive anything near the tongue-lashing that he thought he would get. Instead, Jed Bartlet rose from his chair and approached him with an outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Ron" he shook his hand tightly. "And thank this agent Carruthers for me."

Ron simply nodded, then turned to see the First Lady standing in the doorway. From the look on her face and the tears shimmering in her eyes it was apparent that she had been there for a while and heard everything. The room went silent as Abbey approached the tall agent. Ron stared down at the petite, pretty woman standing before him and his eyes widened with surprise as she went up on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his cheek

"Yes, thank you, Ron." She smiled sweetly at the blush that stained the usually unflappable agent's face.

"Y…you're welcome." He stuttered. "You're both welcome."

* * * *

"Hello Mr. President, Mrs. Bartlet." The young veterinarian was more than a little in awe at having the first couple arrive to visit her star patient. Reporters had been inundating the small clinic for updates on the German Shepherds prognosis since the night before.

"How is Max doing today?" Abbey asked.

"Much better. He came through the surgery fine and he even ate a little this morning. I understand he is a secret service dog. Will he be going home with you or back with the service."

"He's not a service dog anymore, "Abbey said firmly. She and Jed had not talked about this but she was not going to back down. Max was staying. "He's family."

"Yeah, " Jed agreed. "Max is officially retired from the service and is going to live a life of leisure as the First Dog."

"The only thing he'll have to worry about in the future is keeping his tail from being pulled by two rambunctious toddlers, " Abbey smiled.

”Would you like to go see him?" The vet asked.

"Yes." They both answered.

The young woman led them through a door into a small ICU unit where Max lay restrained on a table. He still had an IV attached giving him fluids but when he saw Abbey and Jed he began to whine and his tail wagged excitedly.

"Maxy" Abbey's voice broke as she knelt by the big dog's side. "You brave, foolish dog." She buried her face in his soft fur and began to pet him gently. Max continued to whine and try to lick at her face.

"Hey buddy. " Jed placed one hand on Abbey's shoulder and the other on the dog's head to scratch behind his ear. Max looked up at him and turned to give his hand a lick. Jed squatted by his head continuing to scratch behind his ear. "I owe you a really big one Maximilian. You saved my wife and my kids, buddy. You bought us time. When you come home there is a big juicy steak with your name on it. You're never going to want for anything, EVER."

Abbey clung to the dog patting and soothing him. She couldn't help but recall the relief she had felt when she had seen him in the doorway and how brave Max had been taking on Hughes. Had it not been for Max God only knew what would have happened in that nursery. "Maxy, you sweet, sweet, boy. You're going to get better and then you're going to come home with us. What do you think of that? You want to live with us forever?" The dog stopped whining and closed his eyes contented to be safe in his mistress's arm.

"I guess we'll take that for a yes, " Jed grinned.

* * * *

"Well, look who we have here. It's the three amigos." Jed looked from the three senior staffers at his door back to where his wife was eating her dinner.

"Let them in Jed," Abbey said patiently.

Jed opened the door to admit them but they could tell that he was not pleased. He had not wanted to be disturbed this weekend. "Now what was so urgent that all of you had to drive all the way out here personally."

CJ, Leo and Josh entered the kitchen looking slightly uncomfortable at having interrupted the family meal. Abbey still sat at the kitchen table in between the two high chairs. She spooned food into the twin's mouths in between bites of her own and the President's meal sat on the table only half finished. "Well, don't everyone speak at once" he said sarcastically.

The three senior staff members eyed each other expectantly each wanting the other to address the issue.

"Guys, my supper is getting cold."

"Mr. President," Leo began hesitantly. "There have been some developments in the press. We need to talk."

TBC...