"What's wrong?" Jed asked. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

Oh God, not now, he thought, not now when I want it so much. Don't do this to us.

"Take it easy, you two. It's just that I am hearing something I want to check on. I have to do an ultrasound for the amnio anyway."

"What is it that you are hearing?" Abbey asked. Jed ached at the fear that still laced her voice.

"OK, I'll tell you but don't go getting all freaked on me. I heard two distinct heartbeats," she said as she began to apply gel to Abbey's belly in preparation for the ultrasound.

"What do you mean two heartbeats?" Abbey said stunned, knowing exactly what that meant.

"You don't mean Abbey's and the baby's do you?" Jed asked with trepidation.

"No," Mia laughed shaking her head. "I think we may be dealing with twins here."

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Jed sighed, running a hand through his thick hair.

"Mr. President, are you alright?" Mia asked.

"Yeah, give me a minute, you just gave me a kick to the solar plexus."

"YOU?" Abbey said incredulous. "Good Lord, are you honestly telling me I am carrying twins?"

"Well, I'm not positive yet, hold on. Here we go," Mia began to move the scanner over Abbey's belly and suddenly an image came on the screen. Both Jed and Abbey experienced the same feelings of awe that they had before upon seeing their baby in Abbey's womb.

"Let's see we have here two legs, the heart...oh wait a minute..yep, here's another heart. We definitely have two babies in here. Fraternal, not identical. There's no doubt now. You are carrying twins."

"But I can't be having twins. I mean one was shocking enough but....JED," she slapped his arm, "don't just sit there with that dumb look on your face. Say something."

"Abigail. I am trying not to hyperventilate here. Give me a break. In the past month I've been shot, paralyzed, found out I'm going to be a father again, and now I find out I have not one, but two babies on the way."

"Well, I just found out the same thing and I am the one who is going to have to carry and deliver them. And you know since you have a little job like running the country, I will be the one doing almost all the caring and raising of these two infants."

"OK you two," Mia interrupted, "do you want to know the sex?"

"You can tell the sex now?" Jed asked.

"I might be able to find out for you. So, do you want me to check?"

"Do you?" He asked Abbey.

"I don't know," Abbey hesitated. "Do you?"

"Well, it would be nice to know but...I kind of like the anticipation."

"I know...I..." Abbey couldn't articulate why she was hesitating. She was afraid that if she found out that at least one of the babies wasn't a boy she might feel a bit let down, and she didn't want to feel that. Once the babies were born she would love them no matter what, but for now..."I think I want to wait Jed."

"Yeah, me too," he took her hand and looked into her eyes with a grin. "Twins, good Christ, Mrs. Bartlet, what will the next surprise be?"

"I hope I'm all out of them," she squeezed his hand.

"OK Abbey, since we're all set up I'm going to go ahead and do the amnio," Dr. Brant said while preparing. "Mr. President, you might want to sit down over by Abbey's head. In my experience, it is usually the father's who get lightheaded."

"Yes, Jed, sit down," Abbey instructed, "I don't need you passing out and tearing your stitches out."

"I'm not going to pass out, Abbey," he said confidently, but, while he spoke, he tried not to stare at the impossibly long needle Mia was preparing.

"You OK?" He asked, running a finger over Abbey's cheek.

"Yeah," she said, nervously eyeing the needle.

"All right, Abbey. I'm going to start now. You may feel a pinching sting when the needle goes in, and there may be a sharp pain when it pierces the amniotic sac. Just breathe in deep through your nose and out through your mouth, just like labor breathing. You may also have a feeling of pressure in your lower abdomen when the fluid is withdrawn. It will only take about 30 seconds. You ready?"

"Yes," Abbey said, and reached out for Jed's hand.

Jed watched Mia place the huge needle on the small swell of Abbey's belly, and swallowed back his nausea. He averted his eyes and locked with his wife's. He heard Abbey's sharp intake of breath as the needle pierced her skin.

"It's alright babe, remember it's only 30 seconds. It won't be long," he said stroking the hair back from her forehead.

Abbey's whole body tightened and she gripped Jed's hand tightly as she felt a quick stabbing pain. Jed saw her wince and bite her lip.

"Remember, Abbey, deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth," Jed instructed.

"I've almost got it all, Abbey," Mia said. "Just relax...and...it's over."

She placed the vial of yellowish fluid aside.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok," Abbey said a little shaky. "I'm glad it was quick."

"Well, you may feel some slight cramping for a couple days but if you have any fluid leakage, fever, severe cramping, or bleeding, you will need to call me right away. It is pretty rare for any of these complications but I wanted you to be aware. Well, Mr. President, I'm ready to do the cervical stitching now so if you want to wait in the waiting room, it should only be 15 minutes or so."

"OK. You'll be alright, Abbey?"

"I'm fine, Jed. Go." So Jed left the exam room to pace back and forth and worry. He had seen and heard the fear in Abbey when she thought there was something wrong with the baby. He didn't know what she would do if something were to go wrong at this point. He didn't know how he would react. He'd tried so hard to not get too excited. Not to think past one day at a time to a day when they would have a healthy baby, but, it had happened. That baby, no those babies, had wormed their way into his heart and it would devastate him to lose them now. Dammit what was taking so long? Everything about pregnancy and birth frayed his nerves. It never changed. Finally Mia poked her head out.

"We're all set. Come on in."

Jed re-entered to see a paler, more tight faced Abbey. Obviously the stitching had been uncomfortable and he felt for her and all she had been through.

"Well," Mia began, "everything went very well. Abbey was not dilated at all which is a good sign. Abbey, I want you off your feet for a couple days but then everything should be back to normal as long as you don't do any heavy lifting. Normal precautions for a pregnancy. There is one extra precaution. No sexual intercourse or activity as any contractions in the uterus can cause the stitches to loosen or tear. I'll want to exam you once a week to check for any dilation."

"Then, if I start to dilate, I'll have to go on bed rest?" Abbey asked.

"Yes, but we'll deal with that when and if it happens. Many woman who have this procedure do not have to go on bed rest at all. I can check you at the White House if that is easier for you. Do you have any questions?"

"How long until we get the results from the amnio?" Jed asked.

"I should have them by the end of the week. I'll call you on Friday. Well, if that's all, I'll leave you to get dressed, Abbey. Remember to stay off your feet a couple days."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she does," Jed assured the doctor as she turned to leave the room. When Jed turned back around to see his wife beginning to dress, his brow furrowed as he saw her back shaking while she buttoned her blouse.

"Abbey," he touched her shoulder, turning her to see the tears welling up in her eyes, "why are you crying? Mia said everything went well. Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"No, Jed, everything is fine."

"Are you upset over the idea of twins?"

"No. Jed, please just let it go."

"No, I won't let it go! Christ, Abbey, don't shut me out."

"You want to know? Fine," she flashed angrily. "Mia told me that my cervix was thin and that is what caused me to miscarry."

"Well, why are you crying? You should be happy you have a reason now."

"Don't you see?" She cried urgently, the tears now streaming unchecked down her face. "All these years I thought it was ME!" Her hand moved to her chest. "I thought it was MY fault. I thought it was because of ME that you didn't have a son. That I spent too much time at the hospital. That I worked too hard. That I was under too much stress. That somehow I caused us to lose our son. Do you know what that did to me!?!"

"Oh Abbey," he said, pulling her into his arms and stroking her hair. She buried her face in his strong shoulder, her small body shaking with sobs. "You have kept all that inside all these years?" Tears filled his eyes at his wife's anguish.

"Yes, and now I know that none of that had anything to do with it. That it was a physical problem."

"I never blamed you Abbey...never."

"I know. But you didn't have to. I blamed myself enough for both of us. For years I relived that pregnancy wondering what I could have done differently and now...now I know it wasn't my fault and I can let him go, Jed. I never really have."

"Abbey. I never knew," he said, kissing her forehead.

"I think God is giving us a second chance, Jed. He's giving us the child he took away by giving us twins."

Jed wasn't sure that was how it worked but, if it gave his wife even a measure of comfort, he wouldn't disagree.

"That's a nice thought Abbey," he said into her hair.

***

Back at the White House, Jed tucked Abbey into bed and made sure she was resting comfortably before heading down to the Oval Office. He was using his crutches heavily as all the activity of the day had worn him out. It was so frustrating to him to not have the physical stamina he'd always prided himself on.

Leo entered the Oval Office to see Jed staring out the window, lost in thought.

"Mr. President?" He asked.

"What?" Jed turned around. "What is it, Leo?"

"We need to talk about your speech. What is that in your hand?"

"This. Well Leo, this is the first picture of the White House babies," he said, handing Leo the ultrasound photo. Leo smiled but, as he realized what Jed had said, the smile slowly faded and he looked up at Jed questioningly.

"Babies? Did you say BABIES?"

"Yeah. Twins, Leo. We're having twins."

"Well, Jesus," he said, in shock.

"My sentiments exactly,"

"Well," Leo laughed, "I guess the guys are right. You are an old dog."

***

Abbey awakened from her nap and found a gift addressed to her on Jed's pillow. The note read 'Because I know it will be. Love, Jed.' She opened it eagerly and smiled at her husband's sentiment. She knew he was telling her in his own sweet way that he felt everything was going to be just fine with their babies. She was reading it when Jed came back from work.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"A little crampy," Abbey admitted, "but OK. Thanks for the baby name book, Jed," she smiled.

"Well, we exhausted all the family names so we may need some help in choosing."

"Only for a girl," she said, "or have you given up on Josiah Jr?"

They'd argued often about the whole idea of a junior. The truth was Abbey's arguments had begun to make sense to him, the fact that a child deserved his or her own identity without being identified too closely with their parent. That was especially true in his case. It would be hard enough for a son to follow in Jed Bartlet's footsteps without the extra baggage of being a junior. Noble laureate, congressman, governor, and now President. He knew what hell it was to try to live up to a father's expectations, and he never wanted to pressure any of his children in that way. But, he wasn't going to allow Abbey an 'I told you so'.

"Yes," he admitted, "no Josiah Jr. I started thinking about it and, if we name a son Josiah, I will become Old Josiah like my granddad. I'm not ready to be Old Josiah yet."

"You are a piece of work, Jed Bartlet," Abbey laughed.

TBC...