Abbey was reveling in being home on the farm. After only a few days she had begun to relax immeasurably. How nice it was to cook meals in her own familiar kitchen. A kitchen in which she was not made to feel like an intruder as she was at the White House whenever she dared to try to prepare something on her own. She had never thought she would see the day that she would complain about having a staff to wait on her hand and foot. She and Jed had always had help. But, having a part-time baby-sitter/housekeeper was much different from the huge domestic staff that took care of them now. The only thing missing at the moment was Jed. Christmas was a time to be with family and she missed having him around. As much as she had said it annoyed her, his concern for her had made her feel safe and protected. She missed the way he slept spooned behind her, his hands on her stomach to catch any baby movements. She missed the silly way he talked to her belly, speaking to the twins as if they were little adults.

She was in her kitchen making spaghetti when Zoey hollered out from the living room that the motorcade was on its way up the driveway. Abbey smiled with relief, turned the heat down on her sauce, and moved to stand in the porch doorway. At the bottom of the porch stairs Zoey and Ellie were greeting their father with hugs. Then, Jed looked up and saw her standing in the doorway with her apron on. Their eyes met and he couldn't help but grin at a sight he hadn't had in quite a while. He didn't take his eyes off her as he made his way up the stairs.

"Well," Jed said stopping in front of his wife, "I guess things are back to the way they should be. My wife is working in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant." There was a sparkle of humor in his blue eyes as he spoke.

"Jackass," Abbey said affectionately. Then she smiled and opened her arms to him with a feeling of contentment settling over her as he held her as close as her belly would permit. For Jed the feeling was relief. Relief that at least now if something went wrong he would be here with her. He had felt so far away from her when he was in Washington.

Jed, Abbey, Ellie, and Zoey ate supper that night around the kitchen table just as they had for all the years before moving into the White House. It was so easy to fall back into that normalcy here in their own home where they were just the Bartlets, not the First Family.

****

Later that evening Abbey lay in bed reading with the headphones to her walkman on her belly. Jed came out of the shower toweling his hair dry.

"What are you doing?" He asked puzzled.

"There has been research suggesting that babies in the womb can hear and respond to music."

"So what are my kids listening to?" He asked, flopping down on the bed beside her to lift one of the ear pieces.

"It's Mozart," she said.

"I hope that is not all you are playing."

"Of course not. I want my kids to have the same eclectic taste I do."

"Yeah, well, just don't cram them full of Paul McCartney either. Their interests should be varied. Maybe you should listen to the stock reports so they can learn about the economy."

"I said they can respond to music, not that you can start to teach them already. Give them a break, they aren't even born yet, Papa bear. And, if you don't let it go, I will let Zoey get a hold of my belly.

"Spare us that please," he rolled his eyes. His disdain of his youngest daughter's taste in music was well known.

***

Two days before Christmas Jed, Zoey, Ellie, Jay, and Annie trudged down over the snowy fields toward the edge of the orchard where they had planted Christmas trees over ten years ago. As usual, the debates and arguments over the perfect tree were long and loud. They were all Bartlets after all. At one point Jed felt it would be easier to get a peace agreement between Palestine and Israel than to get his daughters to agree on a tree. Finally, after using his considerable expertise in compromise, Jed got them to agree on one and he began to saw it down.

Back at the house, Liz had pulled the box of ornaments out of the attic. She and Abbey were checking the strands of lights when the rest of the family returned with the tree. Jed came up behind Abbey in the living room and placed his icy cold hands on her warm cheeks causing her to jump.

"Stop that," she protested and grabbed the offending hands to check for cuts. "I see you made it through cutting the tree down without losing any fingers," she smiled.

"Good Lord, woman. I have one accident riding a bike into a tree and I am labeled a klutz forever."

"One accident?" Abbey lifted her brow skeptically.

"Grampa, can I put the angel on the top of the tree?" Annie asked.

"Of course," Jed said, "you do every year, don't you munchkin? But, we need to get the lights on first."

So, while Christmas carols played on the stereo, the Bartlet family decorated their Christmas tree. There were so many big, fancy trees at the White House but this tree was special because it was theirs. They had picked it and they, not the staff, were decorating it.

***

Christmas Eve was always a big event at the farm. This year was not any different. There was a huge dinner with the immediate and extended family which included Jed's mother, his brother and his brother's wife, and Abbey's parents and sister. Because of Abbey's advanced pregnancy this year, everyone had really helped out with preparing the meal. Tapered candles and poinsettias graced the long formal dining room table and Christmas music played in the background while they dined.

The party was in full swing when Emily announced it was time to leave for midnight mass. Everyone's egg nog was set down and winter coats were put on so they could set out in the cold, dark night for church.

The old stone church was ablaze with light and organ music poured out of the open doors. Their feet crunched the snow as they approached the church and Jed took Abbey's hand in his as they made their way up the stairs. He let go only briefly when they entered the church so they could dip their fingers in the holy water to make the sign of the cross before entering.

There was very little gawking and tittering as the Bartlets took their usual pew. It was a small church and these people had been their neighbors for years. Some of them had known Josiah Bartlet since he was a child. Had watched him as he married and his family grew. Had watched him progress from professor to Nobel Prize winner, to congressman, and to governor without any change of attitude. Yet, now that he was actually the President of the United States, there had been a slight adjustment in that attitude. There was now a curiosity and a sense of reverence that one of them had achieved the highest office in the land. A sense of awe that they were in the presence of the most powerful man in the world. A man they used to call Jed.

Both Jed and Abbey had always loved midnight mass. The formality, the hymns, and the feeling of holiness that came with Christ's birth. This year, with Abbey being pregnant, that feeling was even more special. She felt a kinship with the holy mother, on this, the celebration of her child's birth.

Jed felt his usual pride as Abbey took her place by the altar to perform her solo of 'O'Holy Night'. She had begun this tradition not long after she had joined Jed's parish after their marriage. It was a little known fact, outside of New Hampshire, that the First Lady had a beautiful singing voice. Now, as she stood seven months pregnant, her voice clear and beautiful singing about the birth of Christ, Jed felt she looked like a Madonna herself. As he listened to his wife he thought yet again that had medicine not lit a fire within her she could have been a famous singer.

****

Back at the farm, while everyone else had turned in for the night, Jed and Abbey decided to exchange one gift each in private. They sat together on the couch in front of the fireplace and beside the brightly lit Christmas tree.

"Ladies first," Jed said, handing her a small package.

"If you're sure," she smiled coyly and began to unwrap the package. Inside was a blue velvet box from Tiffanys. Abbey opened the box to see a gold ring with three birthstones and two empty spaces.

"It's a mother's ring," Jed explained. "Those are the girls' birthstones and I left the two empty for the twins because I wasn't sure just what month they will be born."

"Oh Jed, I love it," she sighed, her eyes filling with tears. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he kissed her back lightly on the lips. "I'm glad you like it."

"I LOVE it. Jed, you did good this year, babe," she smiled. "Now it is your turn." She handed him the package. Jed ripped the paper with a grin, then as he saw what was wrapped inside, he looked up at Abbey with wide eyes.

"Abbey," he said softly, "my God, look at them." He pulled the framed picture out of the paper. The photo was of Abbey's latest ultrasound and showed their twins all curled up in the fetal position, their heads resting against each other. One was sucking its' thumb. "They look just like real babies now. Just look at them all cuddled together inside you," he breathed while running a finger over the photo. These were his children. They were not just a swell of Abbey's belly. They were alive and kicking. They were aware of each other as they rested against one another.They responded to his voice and to music. And it wouldn't be long until they were laying in he and Abbey's arms. No matter how many times he had been through this it still filled him with awe. He looked up into Abbey's eyes and felt the sting of tears in his own.

"That isn't all hon," Abbey said, her own eyes tearing up with evidence of her husband's emotions, "Mia told me the twins are most probably viable now. If I were to go into labor at this stage there is a pretty good chance they would survive."

"She really said that?" He asked. "They would be big enough? Developed enough? My God Abbey, I never really let myself believe we would make it this far."

"I know," she cupped his cheek in her palm and looked deeply into his eyes seeing her own pain and joy reflected there. "We are truly blessed this year. For so many reasons. Now, keep looking in there Jed. That wasn't your only gift."

Jed looked in the paper and found a box which held a gold pocket watch.

"Look at the inscription," Abbey urged. Jed turned the watch over and saw the initials 'JFK' and underneath that one 'To JDB love AAB'.

"This was John F. Kennedy's?" Jed asked with awe. "How did you get this?"

"Yes it was," Abbey smiled, very pleased with her husband's response to her gift. "I saw it on an auction list and I contacted Caroline Kennedy and got her to agree to a private sale. She wanted me to let you know that her father would be proud for you to have this."

"Abbey, I don't know what to say. This is just...Thank you," he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"It's not often that I can make you speechless," Abbey laughed. "I think St. Nicholas has been good to us this year."

"I won't argue with you there. Hey, Nicholas would be a good name for a boy. It would kind of commemorate us making it to this moment."

"At least you're on the right track now," she smiled. "Just stay away from the sports teams and you'll do all right."

"I learned my lesson when you threatened me with Leslie for a boy if I didn't cool it with the sports stars."

"Well Jed," Abbey said, yawning as she looked at her watch,"it is after 2:00 a.m. Annie is going to have us all up early. We should hit the sack."

Jed stood and helped her to her feet and they stood for a moment under the glittering lights of the Christmas tree. Jed was behind Abbey with his chin resting on her head and his arms around her waist, his hands splayed over her belly.

"Merry Christmas, Abigail," he turned her around and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Merry Christmas, Josiah," she kissed him back and together they walked hand in hand to their bedroom.

TBC...