It was State of the Union time again and the White House senior staff was working day and night in preparation. Jed had seen several different versions of the speech and quite a few revisions. His eyes were bleary from reading and re-reading. There was so much information, so many victories to be mentioned, so many challenges to be made and only so much time to do it. Cuts would inevitably have to be made, cuts that would piss off one group or another.

The night before the speech Jed was to do his usual run through. It was a dress rehearsal for the following night. After the run through, he had invited his senior staffers to dine with he and Abbey privately in the residence.

"Do you want to come watch the run through since you won't be going to the speech tomorrow night?" Jed asked Abbey while searching around the room for his glasses.

"Why do you think I'm not going to the State of the Union?"

"Well...because...well you know why."

"Jed, I am not due for another four weeks. I haven't had any problems so far."

"Let's not tempt fate."

"Jed, I'm going."

"God Abbey, sometimes you are so stubborn."

"And sometimes you are too over-protective Jed. This is your big moment every year. I'm not going to miss it."

"You know maybe I should have listened to Leo all those years ago. You are high maintenance."

"Leo said I was high maintenance? When?"

"When I told him I planned on marrying you."

"So he warned you against it?" She asked, surprised and slightly hurt by this revelation.

"No," Jed admitted, "he said you would be high maintenance but that you would be worth all the hard work."

"Well, don't you forget that, babe," she tweaked his chin.

****

Abbey took a long bath while Jed went down for the run through. She hadn't told him that her back was giving her a hell of a time tonight. She wasn't about to complain about it and give him more ammunition to keep her from attending the speech. She felt a little better after the bath and she was fully dressed by the time they all arrived for dinner.

While everyone else commented on how wonderful she looked, Leo noticed the pale grey smudges under her eyes attesting to just how tired she was.

"The president tells me you are planning on being in attendance for the State of the Union," he said, his concern apparent.

"Don't try to talk me out of it, Leo."

"I wouldn't do that Abbey. I was just thinking maybe you could watch in on the monitors with us instead of actually sitting in attendance."

"Leo, I'm going," she said firmly. Leo knew then that no matter what he or Jed said, Abbey had made up her mind.

"So Mrs. Bartlet, have you and the President come up with any names yet?" CJ asked, diffusing the situation.

"One or two, but nothing is carved in stone yet," Abbey said. "I know the press is hounding you but they will just have to wait."

"How did you name the girls?"

"Elizabeth and Ellie are named for their grandmothers' and Jed's older sister who died young. Zoey was so early we didn't have any names picked out. Jed was sitting by her incubator reading a baby name book when he came across Zoey. Zoey means life and where her situation was so precarious, we thought it was a good choice."

Dinner arrived and the conversation around the table was full of animated chatter about the speech. Only CJ noticed how quiet Abbey had become. She hadn't eaten very much off her plate either.

"Abbey," she asked, dropping protocol, "are you alright?" The conversation around the table stopped immediately and all eyes turned to Abbey.

"Abs, you OK?" Jed asked.

"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry everyone, but I'm just very tired and my back hurts. Would you all mind terribly if I just went to lay down?"

"By all means. Go lay down," Leo said, and they all nodded in agreement. Jed got to his feet and began to move from his place at the head of the table.

"I'm fine, Jed. You stay and here and finish dinner.”

She saw him hesitate, "I really am fine."

She turned to leave and everyone noticed Jed's eyes follow every movement his wife made on her way to the bedroom.

The conversation continued on but Jed was preoccupied now. He wanted to be a good host but he also wanted to go check on Abbey. His staff could sense his anxiety and, as soon as dessert was finished, Leo turned to him.

"We aren't going to linger over coffee tonight," he said. "You go be with your wife. We'll see ourselves out."

"Thanks guys," Jed said. "Good-night everyone."

***

"It's not going to be long now," Leo said apprehensively as they all left the residence.

"How do you know?" Toby asked.

"The look in Abbey's eyes. The President knows it too. It's written all over his face. Remember, I've been through this before."

"Do you think he'll be distracted at the speech tomorrow night?" Sam asked.

"He's a professional. He'll do fine once he gets out there. I've never seen Jed Bartlet falter in front of a crowd," Leo assured them.

***

Jed entered the bedroom to see Abbey, still fully clothed, laying on her side of the bed on top of the covers.

"Jed," she said, not opening her eyes. "I thought I told you to stay and entertain the staff."

"How did you know it was me?"

"Because I knew you couldn't stay away," she sighed.

"Abbey..."

"I'm fine. I really am just tired and uncomfortable. It isn't going to be tonight."

"I guess I just have to trust your judgement on that," he said, taking a blanket from the foot of the bed to lay gently over her. "Mind if I lay with you for a while?"

"Be my guest."

Jed climbed on the bed still fully clothed himself and snuggled up to her back, wrapping an arm around her belly and running his hand in soothing circles.

***

They awoke the next morning in the same position, their clothes all rumpled.

"Did we sleep all night like this?" Abbey yawned.

"Looks like we did," Jed said, shaking the feeling back into his arm. He was a little stiff from having slept in the same position all night. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better I think. Not so tired. I actually slept fairly well. What about you? You all ready for your big night?" She climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. Jed joined her and helped her undress and get into the shower so she wouldn't fall. The extra weight of the babies in front had caused her to lose her equilibrium.

"I think I have the easiest part. All I have to do is get up and give the speech. It's everyone behind the scenes who are running around like crazy people, analyzing data, conducting phone polls, studying the research groups."

"Your part is not that easy, Jed," she said, moving forward as he stepped in to join her. "You have to stand up there and convince the country you are telling the truth and challenge them to follow your vision. That is not easy."

"I suppose not," he said, squirting shampoo into his hands so he could shampoo her hair.

"Mmmm," she sighed, "I could get used to this real easy." She reveled in the way his fingers rubbed her scalp and how he ran those fingers through the strands of her hair while conditioning it. "I'd reciprocate but I don't think I can turn around."

"No problem," Jed chuckled.

They stepped out the shower and Jed wrapped a towel around his waist before moving to dry his wife. God, he could never tire of looking at her naked, pregnant body. She was magnificent with her full rounded belly and heavy, lush breasts.

Abbey felt as if she were close to bursting. The skin over her belly was stretched taut and it itched like crazy. She ran her fingernails lightly over it.

"Don't scratch," Jed admonished her. "I'll get the cream." He found the tube and began to rub the cocoa butter into her skin. It relieved the itching and was also supposed to help with stretch marks.

"I swear Jed, these babies better come soon. I don't think there is any more room inside me and my skin can't stretch anymore. I feel like I am going to pop."

"You said that a month ago, sweet knees."

"Well I mean it now," she grumbled. In spite of the fact that Abbey had been through this before Jed still felt a certain trepidation when he looked at the size of his wife's belly and how small she was. She had never had an easy time because her pelvis was small. Maybe it would be better if she did go early so the babies would be smaller.

*****

The night of the State of the Union was always chaotic, festive, and full of anticipation and jitters. This one was no different.

Jed was busy mentally preparing and there was no way in hell Abbey was going to tell him her back ache had returned in full force. There wasn't anything he could do anyway. It was just the weight and pressure of the babies.

So, long before Jed would ever think of leaving for the Capitol, Abbey, Ellie, Zoey, and Jane entered the limo and were on their way. Ellie and Zoey had both been to State of the Unions before but it was Jane's first and her animated questions and chatter covered up the fact that Abbey wasn't saying much.

By the time they were seated Abbey had begun to feel like she was having really bad menstrual cramps and the pain in her back was continuous. Still, it was merely uncomfortable, not anything like a real contraction. She forgot the discomfort when the parade of dignitaries was announced. It never failed to fill her with awe as she watched the Supreme Court justices and Jed's cabinet enter and to realize she was married to the most powerful man in the world. Then when they announced 'The President of the United States' her heart swelled with pride. She watched him walk down the aisle shaking hands, accepting pats on back, and making jokes. My God, she thought with a shiver of apprehension, he was born for this. She watched him feed off the applause as he took his place at the podium.

The first thing Jed did when he stood in front of the entire body of Congress was to look up at the galley and see his wife and daughters in their customary positions. Relief settled over him and one of the great orators of the time began his speech.

Ten minutes into the speech Abbey's cramps grew stronger. They were more definite and she realized she was probably starting labor. She also knew it was just the beginning and she had hours ahead of her. However, the pains were strong enough that she couldn't sit still during one.

Zoey and Ellie looked at each other puzzled. Their mother was never fidgety during one of their father's speeches but now she couldn't seem to sit still.

Then, Abbey felt it. She almost doubled over from the horrible contraction that started in her back, wrapped around tightening her belly until it ended with the sharpness of a knife stabbing into her back. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out.

Oh my God, she thought, this isn't happening to me here. Good Lord, what if my water breaks right here on the floor of the Capitol? Wouldn't that be one for the history books?

Abbey knew she had to get out of there before things progressed any further. Both girls knew something was wrong when their mother stood, surprising everyone in the galley, and gingerly made her way toward the exit.

"Something's wrong," Ellie whispered to Zoey, "We better go with her." And so they followed not far behind Abbey.

Jed was making a point about medical advancements when he looked up to see his wife in the galley but was confronted by empty seats. Abbey, Ellie, Zoey, and Jane were gone. Good Christ, that could only mean one thing. Abigail was in labor.

TBC...