Upon finding Abbey sitting alone part way down the steps of the empty stairwell, Jed felt an old but familiar surge of that parental combination of relief and irritation. Much as he had when the girls were younger, he didn't know whether he wanted to spank her or hug her. He was relieved to find that she was alone, yet angry because she had scared the hell out him.

"Abbey, what are you doing? We need to leave." The words came out sharper than he had intended but the only response he received was a brief glance from his wife back over her shoulder. When she silently turned back to face the wall he began to descend the staircase.

Abbey sat huddled on the stairs trembling and taking deep breaths to calm herself. She had though that she could do this. Everything had been going well, until they had said it was time to leave. She had heard the irritation in Jed's voice and was irritated with herself for not being strong enough to combat her memories and fears.

"Abigail" Jed's voice was softer as he gently touched her shoulder." What's all this about angel? We have to leave."

"I don't know if I can do it Jed." She continued to stare at the wall, unable to look him in the eye.

"Are you afraid he'll be there on the rope line?"

"Yes" Abbey swallowed. "It's just…the thought of seeing him Jed…"

"Ssh…I know babe" he rubbed her shoulder. But I'll be right next to you walking that line. I won't let anything happen to you."

Abbey reached out blindly through tears to take his hand. "I know you won't."

"But if you're still not comfortable with the idea we'll skip it and just go straight to the limo."

"Jed Bartlet skip a rope line?” her hand moved to her chest in mock horror. "The press would definitely know something was up with that. No, we'll do the crowd together. I can't let him alter my life. I have to be stronger than that. If I change my life because of this then he wins. I'm not going to let him win this time."

Jed swallowed the pain that rose within him at those words. Hughes had won the last time; he had gotten what he wanted even if he had paid the price for that victory. Unfortunately Abbey had paid an even heavier price.

"That's my girl" he tried to smile but Abbey could see just how forced it was. He put his hand out to take hers to help her to her feet and couldn't help but note just how cold her hand was. He squeezed it tightly hoping to send his warmth through her, not knowing that the coldness went straight through to her core.

* * * *

Jed grinned shaking the hands that were reaching out to him with such urgency. However, this time his heart was not in it. His eyes constantly moved to his wife. Abbey stood just ahead of him smiling, shaking hands, and signing autographs. The inner reserves of strength that she had just completely amazed him. The laughing, confident woman he was watching now was hardly the same person who, just ten minutes before, had been cowering in fear in an empty stairwell. He watched her stop in front of a pregnant woman who was offering gifts for the twin's upcoming first birthday.

"How far along are you?" she asked.

"Five months," the woman replied, placing a hand on her belly.

"Oh, that's such a good time in a pregnancy" Abbey smiled.

"Yes, now that all the awful morning sickness is over. Thankfully all I had was nausea."

"You're lucky" Abbey sighed. "I didn't think I was ever going to stop throwing up when I was pregnant with the twins."

Jed smiled as Abbey moved on and the woman turned to her friend her voice shaking with excitement. "I can't BELIEVE I just stood here talking pregnancies with ABBEY BARTLET!"

He marvelled at the easy rapport that his wife had with people, especially today when he knew that deep inside her stomach had to be in knots.

Following just behind the President, Charlie bent down to accept a note from a young boy of five or six.

"No" the boy protested. "I have to give it to the President. It's a secret message."

"Oh really" Charlie grinned with affection. "Mr. President," he touched Jed's arm. "This young man has a secret message for you."

"A SECRET message" Jed enthused. "Now that does sound interesting." He took the envelope, ripped it open and began to read.

Jed Bartlet,

I hear that you were very angry that Abigail and I had a little rendezvous the other day. I know where that anger comes from. It's the anger of a jealous man. You're jealous that I know what it is like to touch and taste the soft skin of Abigail's breast and how it feels to move inside her. You were too late to stop us the last time, and you'll never stop us this time.

MH

White-faced and with his hands clenched, Jed shoved the note at Ron. Then, ignoring the outstretched hands quickly made his way to Abbey. His eyes scanned the crowd frantically as he placed his arm around his wife's waist.

"We have to leave" he said and began to lead her away from the crowd.

Abbey gave him a puzzled look. They had barely started shaking hands; it wasn't like Jed to walk away so quickly. It was then that she noticed the agent's circle in close around them, while others began to swarm the crowd.

"He's here, isn't he?" Jed heard the panic in her voice.

"I don't know," he admitted. I just want you in the car."

Abbey heard the steel tightness in his tone voice and allowed him to lead her quickly into the limo. Once inside she turned to him.

"What the hell is going on Jed?"

* * * *

With Abbey safely ensconced in the Residence, Jed made his way back to his office to await word from Ron. He fairly pounced on the man the moment he entered the room.

"Did you get him Ron?" the dead flatness of the President's voice made Ron stop in his tracks. It wasn't going to be easy to let Josiah Bartlet down, not about this.

"No" he stated rubbing a hand over his forehead with frustration. "He was probably long gone before you and Mrs. Bartlet ever went outside. We questioned the boy and he identified a picture of Hughes as the man who gave him the note. He told him it was a special secret message that needed to get to the President. That happened about a half-hour before you came out which gave him plenty of time to get away."

"Jesus, that scumbag is using little kids now? Why does he always seem to be one step ahead of us Ron?"

"He's smart sir, but he will slip up and that's when we'll catch him."

"I told my wife she was safe," Jed said flatly.

"What?"

"Today. I told Abbey she was safe, but he was there."

"And she was safe, he didn't get near her."

"This time. She isn't going to feel safe until he's taken into custody and neither am I. Dammit Ron, you have to find him."

"We're bringing in some of his prison buddies and the court appointed psychiatrist who worked with him to try and come up with some leads. Try not to worry. He will slip up."

Jed nodded and as Ron turned to leave Leo entered.

"You want to tell me what the hell is going on. You've been wired tight for days now. All this barking and snapping at people is not good for morale. Why did you quit the rope line and whisk Abbey out of there like there had been a threat? Is there something I should know?"

An inner war began to rage in Jed's head. He knew that he should tell Leo what was going on. Leo was his friend as well as his chief of staff. But, for so long what happened that night had been private, something just between he and Abbey. Oh, others knew the basics of the crime that had been committed but the pain and turmoil had been confined in their marriage and, to a certain extent, the therapist Abbey had seen for a while after it happened. It wasn't easy for either of them to open up emotionally with others, especially about something this sensitive. In the end he resolved that Leo deserved to know what was making him so crazy.

"Yeah, it's probably time I tell you. The guy who got into our barn and sent the pictures of Abbey and me to her father has somehow gotten hold of our private line and has given Abbey some obscene phone calls. Two days ago we found out who it is.” Jed paused taking a deep breath. "It's Marcus Hughes."

Leo's eyes widened with astonishment. "THE Marcus Hughes…The one who…" He couldn't bring himself to use the word.

"Yeah, that's the one. Two days ago he approached Abbey on a rope line."

"Oh Christ" Leo groaned. "No wonder you've been so pissed."

"That son of a bitch got to her Leo. Not only did he get notes and calls to her; he fucking TOUCHED her on that rope line. It scared her so badly she threw up in the limo. God DAMN it, do you know how terrified you have to be to puke because of it." Jed was pacing now.

"I keep thinking about what I walked in and saw that day. How helpless and hurt Abbey was and I know that she can't stop thinking about it. She's scared to death that he is going to get to her again."

"That's impossible Jed."

"Is it? He always seems to be one step ahead of us. DAMN, that fucker's going to pay Leo. He is NEVER going to touch my wife again."

"You need to let the service do their job."

"Screw them. They can't even figure out how the notes and calls are getting in to her. I'm telling you Leo; I have never wanted to kill another human being in my life, but I wanted to kill him that day. I almost did kill him that day. I couldn't hear Abbey screaming at me to stop. I didn't feel the punches I was giving him and I couldn't see the blood. All I felt was this red haze of rage and the need to see him dead for doing that to my wife. If that cop hadn't pulled me off him I don't know what might have happened. I might have continued on until I killed him. I can promise you this though; the only way that bastard is going to get near Abbey is over my DEAD body."

Leo gave his boss and old friend a long look and knew Jed was totally serious about that forceful statement. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for him to walk in and see his wife in the process of being raped. He knew something had snapped in Jed at the sight. In war they called it "blood rage" and it was an apt term for what had happened to him that day. Leo also knew with every fiber in his being that Jed would do whatever it took to keep Abbey safe. And he wasn't the only one.

"I think you need to tell the senior staff what's going on." The words were spoken to Jed's back as he gazed out the window at the White House lawns.

"This is personal Leo. It has nothing to do with them."

"It does have something to do with them. They need to know why you're biting their heads off.

"They're tough they can handle it."

"It's more than them being able to take it. They're your friends Jed. You're always there for them. Let them be there for you."

"I don't need anyone to hold my hand, " Jed snapped.

"No, you don't. But you do need your friends. Let them in. Please"

Jed took a deep breath and lost any animosity he had been feeling.

"I'll talk to Abbey," he said. "That's the best I can do."

* * * *

Back at the residence Jed heard Abbey's voice soothing crying infants in the nursery. He opened the door and grimaced at the smell emanating from the room.

"I'm going to take a shower" he called out.

Abbey turned her head from where she was standing changing Aislinn's diaper and glared at his departing form. Damn coward she thought. Her nose wrinkled as she unsnapped her daughter's sodden overalls. Her diaper had leaked and Aislinn was a complete mess from her belly down her legs. Abbey started to wipe the mess away with a cloth, and then a dangerous grin crossed her face. She wrapped Aislinn in a towel and headed toward she and Jed's bathroom. She knew her husband thought he had made a clean getaway but he was in for a rude awakening.

As she entered the bedroom she heard the shower running and Jed's deep baritone belting out "Danny Boy" for the world to hear.

"Jed" she called out as she entered the bathroom.

"Hey baby, wanna join me?"

"No, but somebody does." She jerked the shower door open and thrust Aislinn at him. "Clean her up Daddy"

"Abbey!" Jed protested holding her at arms length while his face wrinkled in protest of the smell.

"Hey, why should I get all the fun?" she gave him that wicked grin of hers and shut the door. As she turned from the shower she saw Nicholas crawling across the bathroom floor and scooped him up into her arms.

"You better not get this stomach bug mister," she warned in a stern voice. "I really don't need two of you sick." Nicky looked up at her with wide blue eyes and gave her a big Jed grin.

"Damn if you aren't going to be a heartbreaker" Abbey shook her head then jumped as she heard Jed's howl of pain from the shower.

"Jed" she called out. "You OK?"

"Yeah" he breathed.

"I hope that was chest hair"

"Yeah" Jed said looking down at the baby girl who held a fistful of his chest hair in her clenched fist. Aislinn was now pink and clean and chortling with glee at getting the best of her dad.

"Let it go sweetheart" he tried to pry her hand open. "Daddy needs his chest hair. It makes him macho and turns mommy on."

"Jed!" Abbey protested outside the door.

"I'm having a conversation with my daughter Hedda, quit eavesdropping."

"Ma…ma" Aislinn called out.

"Is she clean yet?" Abbey opened the shower door smiling at the sight of father and daughter wet and soapy.

"Yes she is, no thanks to you."

"No thanks to ME" Abbey said. She opened a big warm towel and accepted her wet slippery daughter from him, wrapping her tightly in a cocoon. "I was just teaching you what happens when you try to shirk your responsibilities. You want the cuddles, you take the poop."

"I never shirk my responsibilities." He shut off the water and accepted the towel Abbey handed over to him.

"Well, what do you call practically running out of the nursery when you saw and smelled the mess?"

"Self-preservation darlin" He gave her that boyish heart melting grin of his and Abbey wondered if she would ever become immune to it. She supposed not since, after all these years, it still affected her so strongly.

Jed watched Abbey lay Aislinn on a towel and sprinkle her little body with baby powder. He hated to ruin this light hearted moment but he had promised Leo.

"Abbey, Leo thinks I should tell the senior staff what's going on with Hughes."

"Oh Jed, I don't know. I don't want them looking at me funny or anything."

"They already know something is up."

"How?"

"Well I guess according to Leo I've been a bit of a prick this past week and the staff is starting to wonder why."

"Jed you always do that. You turn your fear into anger and then you take that anger out on people who don't deserve it."

"Thank you for the session Stanley, now where were we? Oh yes Leo wanted me to tell the staff. Who knows maybe if they know they'll see something that will help the service find him. It's up to you though. Whatever you decide I'm behind you."

"I guess you're right. If they already know something is up they may as well know the truth. You can tell Toby, Josh, and Sam, but let me tell CJ. I messed up the last time not being the one to come clean about the MS with her. I'm not going to mess this one up. She should hear this from me.

"Do you want to be with me when I tell the guys?"

"No. I think I'd feel more comfortable if you did that alone." She picked up her powdered, clean smelling daughter and left the bathroom for the bedroom. As she approached the bed, she saw her son on the floor and her expression turned to one of pure horror.

"Jed" she shrieked.

TBC...