"Welcome, everyone." CJ stood on the small stage facing the seated crowd. "Tonight we are all here to celebrate the union of a very special couple, The President of the United States and the First Lady, or as they are known to most of you, Jed and Abbey Bartlet. To that end we will be paying tribute to them in song. Some may be sentimental and some may be silly but all will come straight from the heart. So, without further ado, let me introduce Mrs. Elizabeth O’Neill.

"Go Gramma!" The trio of Bartlet granddaughter’s cheered. Beth grinned their way, then stepped up to the microphone.

"Rest assured, I am not going to sing a song. I was asked to come up here tonight to tell you about my daughter, Abigail. Now, my little Abigail was a sweet, soft spoken, quiet, ladylike child…wait a minute, CJ, did you write this as a press release?" Beth turned to CJ, who shrugged, and the crowd burst into laughter. "Those of you who know my Abigail, know that those words don’t always apply to her. She is as sassy as she is sweet, as outspoken as she is soft spoken, as vocal as she is quiet and…I guess I’ll keep my mouth shut about ladylike since she IS supposed to be the First Lady."

Abbey elbowed Jed at his burst of laughter.

"But what I’m really here to tell you about is the crush that she had on a certain mop topped young man. She mooned over this man, loved to listen to his voice, and for the longest time I thought I was going to be the mother in law of somebody really famous. No, I am not talking about the shaggy haired young man who became famous when he was elected President. Long before she wanted to hold Josiah Bartlet’s hand, my daughter longed for the day she would hold Paul McCartney’s."

Everyone laughed again as the music of the Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" played lightly in the background. Abbey laughed good- naturedly with the crowd and watched as Jon Bartlet took the stage next to her mother.

"As Jed’s brother I can tell you that he had every intention of becoming a priest when he left for Notre Dame. But, something happened to him that he could never have planned on. He met a beautiful, feisty young woman named Abigail O’Neill, and the rest, as they say, is history. Ladies and Gentlemen, here to give you their rendition of Jed’s side to the night that he met Abbey, THE BEATLES!"

Cheers erupted as Jon joined Jay, Sally and Jane, complete with mop top wigs, as they took to the stage.

"Well, she was just 19.(they shouted over the 16 in the lyrics)
You know what I mean.
And the way she looked was way beyond compare…
So how could I dance with another?
And I saw her standing there.
Well, she looked at me, and, I, I could see.
That before too long I’d fall in love with her.
She wouldn’t dance with another.
And I saw her standing there.
Well, my heart went boom,
When I crossed that room,
And I held her hand in mine.
Whoa, we danced through the night.
And we held each other tight.
And before too long I fell in love with her.
Now I’ll never dance with another,
Since I saw her standing there.

Jed’s laughter and nodding head made it quite evident that he agreed with every word the foursome had been singing.

Next to take the stage were Leo and Millie.

"As Jed and Abbey’s best friends we can tell you that the year they dated before they were married was one of complete and utter angst," Leo began.

"Never had two people yearned to spend every moment of their day----- and their nights," Millie wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, "together, the way that they did. Never did two people look forward to the day that they would be able to spend the rest of their lives together quite the way that they did. In fact the Beach Boys wrote a song about it. Ladies and Gentlemen, THE BEACH BOYS!"

Millie blew a kiss to Jed and Abbey, who were holding hands and grinning, as they watched Toby, Charlie, Josh, and Sam join Leo to take the stage all wearing Hawaiian print shirts and Bermuda shorts. Both tossed their heads back with laughter at the beginning strains of the song they knew so well.

"Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older?
Then we wouldn’t have to wait so long.
And wouldn’t it be nice to live together?
In the kind of world where we belong.
You know it’s gonna make it that much better.
When we can say goodnight and stay together.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up?
In the morning when the day is new.
And after having spent the day together,
Hold each other close the whole night through.
Happy times together we’ll be spending.
I wish that every kiss was never ending.
Wouldn’t it be nice?
Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true.
Baby, then there wouldn’t be a single thing that we couldn’t do.
We could be married,
And then we’d be happy
You know it seems the more we talk about it.
It only makes it worse to live without it.
But let’s talk about it.
Wouldn’t it be nice?
Goodnight my baby.
Sleep tight my baby.

Jed squeezed Abbey’s hand tightly seeing the emotions playing over her expressive face. She turned toward him as the final strains of the music played, remembering exactly how hard it had been to go back to her dorm room every night when all she longed for was to lay in Jed’s arms the whole night through. Jed smiled softly down into her face with the acknowledgement of those feelings. It was just as easy for him to remember how it had felt to long so badly for the day that he would live with Abbey forever and share his life with her and just how painful it was to wait and wonder if it would ever really happen.

"Now, as one of the people who was "in" on the Jed and Abbey relationship right from the start I am a star witness about that summer, and later the semester, that they spent apart before they were married. As Abbey’s sister I can tell you she spent that summer moping around with a long face and a lot of melancholic sighs. It did in fact it did get pretty darn annoying at times. You can just ask our mailman about that. The poor man was accosted nearly every day because Abbey rarely let him even make it to our mailbox. She would rush out hoping with baited breath that it might be a letter from Jed, postmarked Arizona. And when there was a letter, which was nearly every day it seemed, she would sit in her bedroom and re-read it 18 million times a day. " In the background "Mr. Postman" played softly and Jane grinned down at her sister as she held a letter to her chest and, with a sappy love struck look on her face, sang along with one line, "Hey Mr. Postman look and see. Is there a letter, a letter for me…"

Abbey stuck her tongue out at Jane ,who reciprocated much as they had when they were children, before she continued on. " As you all probably know by now, Abbey gave up going straight to medical school so that she could follow Jed to London. Having known what it was like to be apart from him she wasn’t going to spend more than a year separated. Later, after they had been married for a while and had three children, Jed was elected to Congress. While most couples may have turned to living separate lives at this time, that is not what happened to the couple we honor tonight. No matter how tired or how busy they were, they would work their schedules so that one or the other would make the flight to be together on the weekends. Sometimes if the flights didn’t work out, they would meet part way for just a night or a weekend in New York or Baltimore. Later still, those of you who campaigned with them found out exactly to what lengths they will go to keep from being separated for any length of time, because what we all know now is that when it comes to my sister and brother in law there, "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough" Ladies and Gentlemen, DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES!"

Abbey and Jed moved from being very touched by Jane’s monologue to laughter as they saw CJ take center stage, complete with a boa, slinky dress and teased big hair, followed by all their daughters in similar outfits.

"Where the hell did they find those getups?" Jed leaned down to whisper to Abbey.

"Ssh…"

The music started and the girls began a synchronized dance routine they had obviously rehearsed. CJ was evidently Diana Ross, as she grabbed the mike and began to perform an animated version of the song, much as they had seen when she did "The Jackal."

"Listen, baby
Ain’t no mountain high
Ain’t no valley low
Ain’t no river wide enough, baby
If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name
I’ll be there in a hurry
You don’t have to worry
‘Cause baby,
There ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you
Remember the day
I set you free
I told you
You could always count on me
From that day on
I made a vow
I’ll be there when you want me
Some way, some how.
‘Cause baby,
There ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you.
No wind, no rain
My love is alive
Way down in my hear
t Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I’ll be there on the double
As fast as I can
Don’t you know that
There ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you.

As the foursome bowed and the clapping died down, Jed rose to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Abbey asked. Her neck immediately began to crane to see if he was being taken away for national security reasons but Leo was still seated.

"It’s my turn to perform, babe. I’m gonna knock your socks off." He winked at her and turned to leave.

There was a brief pause in the show while Jed presumably changed. Abbey was enjoying herself listening to Josh, Sam, Toby and Charlie putting on an impromptu barbershop quartet to kill time when she heard Jed‘s voice over the sound system.

"Well, Abbey,"

She turned to the stage but didn’t see him. Anywhere.

"I know that your adolescent heart was stolen by Mr. Paul McCartney, who, by the way, I’m going to make sure you never get the chance to meet." The guests snickered at the purely possessive typical Jed statement. "And since you had to settle for me I’ll do my best to strut my stuff for you."

As the first bars of big band style music started Jed stepped out onstage in his white tie and tails. He knew it was a look Abbey found utterly irresistible on him. His formerly shaggy hair was combed back for the more dashingly elegant look of the old style crooners and he grabbed the microphone with style and panache as he began to sing in his wonderfully deep, surprisingly on -key baritone.

"L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see.
V is very, very, extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore
And love, is all that I can give to you.
Love, is more than just a game for two.
Two in love can make it, take my heart and please don’t break it.
Love, was made for me and you."

He reached the edge of the stage and plucked a single red rose from a vase. He took a few jaunty steps down the stage stairs to make his way to Abbey, bending gallantly to offer her the rose. She accepted the flower, smiling softly as he stood to continue singing to her.

"L is for the way you look at me.
O is for the only one I see.
V is very, very, extraordinary.
E is even more than anyone that you adore…"

He bowed to her as the music came to an end and Abbey got to her feet, still holding her rose, and stood before him. She ran a hand lightly over his cheek and, not caring about the assembled crowd, she kissed him softly on the lips. She smiled at the clapping that arose from the kiss and leaned back to wipe her thumb over his bottom lip to remove her smudged pink lipstick.

"How’d I do?" He asked.

"Frank Sinatra ain’t got nothing’ on you , babe."

"As good as Paul McCartney?"

"Weeellll…" Her vacillating earned her a pinch on the rear. "Okay, okay, I’ll say better. Paul McCartney was okay when I was kid, but Jed Bartlet aged better."

"That’s what I want to hear. Uh, I believe that Annie is urgently trying to get your attention."

Abbey turned to see the young girl motioning her to the stage.

"Oh, yeah, it’s my turn to perform. You’re gonna be a tough act to follow."

"Right." Jed rolled his eyes sarcastically. He knew his wife’s beautiful voice and her performing capabilities and he was quite certain that when the party was over, it was Abbey’s performance that would be remembered.

Abbey took the stage in her sexy halter dress, the rose now tucked behind her ear. She was elegant enough to be an old fashioned torch singer and sexy enough to be a pop princess. She took the microphone and began to pace on the stage. "When I was thinking of what song to do tonight my mind went right to the old classics, songs like "Unforgettable". Then my lovely granddaughter came to me with a song from her new CD and we agreed that it would be perfect for the occasion. Besides, I know my husband and, although you love the classics Josiah, dear, to quote Annie, this one makes me swing my hips."

Jed gave her a broad grin and a thumbs up as the upbeat tempo to the song began and Abbey began to hum with it.

"In your arms.
I can still feel the way you want me when you hold me.
I can still hear the words you whispered when you told me.
I could stay right here forever in your arms.
And there ain’t no way---
I’m letting’ you go now.
And there ain’t no way----
And there ain’t no how.
Never see that day-----
"Cause I’m keeping you forever and for always.
We will be together all of our days.
Wanna wake up every morning to your sweet face-----always.
In your heart.
I can still hear a beat for every time you kiss me.
And when we’re apart I know how much you miss me.
I can feel your love for me in your heart.

While she sang the chorus Abbey danced and made her way down to Jed just as he had to her, only, much to his and everyone’s surprise, she sat right on his lap and continued to sing to him, stroking his cheek and running her fingers through his hair.

"In your eyes
I can still see the look of the one who really loves me.
The one who wouldn’t put anything else in the world above me.
I can still see love for me in your eyes.

And there ain’t no way----
I’m letting you go now.
And there ain’t no way----
And there ain’t no how.
I’ll never see that day-----

‘Cause I’m keeping you forever and for always.
We will be together all of our days.
Wanna wake up every morning to your sweet face----always."

"I’ve never particularly thought of my face as, sweet." Jed murmured as the song came to an end.

"Oh, it’s sweet all right, it’s sweet and it’s damn fine."

"We’re not supposed to say, damn, remember?" His lips were just centimeters from hers.

"Just give me a damn kiss."

"And you thought he took after me." This time when the two kissed it was deeper and more highly charged, a kiss that drew wolf whistles and cheers rather than clapping.

"You wanna blow this pop stand?" He asked suggestively.

"Jed, we can’t leave," Abbey laughed. "We’re the guests of honor."

"I guess that might be a little conspicuous," he admitted.

"You think?"

****

After an amazingly beautiful rendition of "Air That I Breathe" by Annie, who obviously took after Abbey in the vocals department, the formal part of the party was over. Jordan milled through the crowd wondering what had happened to Leo. She saw the First Lady had returned from putting her two young children to bed and was now piling slices of chocolate coconut cake on to small paper plates.

"Do you have any idea of where Leo might have gone?" She asked her. " He seems to have disappeared."

"Get used to it." Abbey licked a fleck of coconut frosting from her finger. "That happens a lot in this line of work. I‘m surprised it only happened once tonight. He and Jed got called away before I went to put the kids down. They should be back soon, provided it’s not some major crisis." There was something in her eyes that convinced Jordan that she wasn’t quite as accommodating as she seemed.

"Have you gotten used to it?"

"No."

Jordan smiled at the First Lady’s frank honesty. "I’ve had a really good time this weekend. Thank you for inviting me."

"I was glad to have the opportunity to meet you. For you to meet me---us----and…"

"Don’t go holding back on me now. You wanted me to meet you and the President. You wanted me to see that Leo’s infatuation is a one way thing."

"Yeah," Abbey said with relief. "This is a very awkward situation and a very awkward conversation."

"Don’t worry. It’s very obvious to me that what Leo said is true. You only have eyes for the President."

Abbey nodded, her face softening. "Jed is still the only man who has ever made my pulse race and my heart beat faster. All these years and he’s still the only one." Abbey looked into the other woman’s eyes and shook her head, mentally clearing her sentimental thoughts. "Listen to me going on and on about my husband when my mother and mother in law are waiting for their cake. I better go."

Jordan watched her walk away, wondering at the sentiment just expressed. Wondering at the magic of being married for as many years as the First Couple had been but still having that kind of magic and intensity in both the emotional and the physical side of their relationship. "Abbey----" she called out to the First Lady’s back. It was still hard to get used to using her first name, but Abbey had insisted on it, at least while they were here.

”Yes?" Abbey turned back around.

"It’s very apparent that he feels the same about you."

Abbey nodded with a smile. "Thanks."

****

Leo and Jed made their way back to the party, pausing at the edge of the dance floor to scan the crowd. Jed’s eyes fell on Jordan. She was standing by herself sipping from a glass of champagne. He noticed that Leo’s eyes had found her as well.

"Go ask her to dance." Jed nudged Leo with his elbow.

"What?"

"It’s a nice full moon, don’t waste it. A man needs a woman, Leo. It’s just the way we’re made. Go to her."

He watched Leo cross the floor to take Jordan’s hand, and, grinning broadly he turned to find his own woman.

After passing out cake to she and Jed’s parents, Abbey turned back to where the party was starting to break up. She smiled as she saw Leo dancing with Jordan, hoping that something between them would ignite. Her eyes then began searching for her errant husband. She found him, thanks to the bright glow of the moon, standing at the edge of the cliffs facing out to the sea. She approached him quietly from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist and cupping her hands over his crotch.

"I thought you said you were going to stay hard for me all night," she breathed against the side of his neck. A shudder passed through Jed’s body as he felt her warm, wet tongue slide across the back of his neck.

"Aaabeeeyy----" He groaned, his hips thrusting involuntarily into her cupped hands.

"Ahhh, " she purred, feeling him burgeoning under her touch. "There it is again."

"Does this mean you’re ready to leave?"

"Well, I’m not certainly not planning on doing this here." She turned to head toward the cottage but Jed grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the small path that led down the cliffs to the beach.

"Let’s walk on the beach first."

"Okay…" It was said hesitantly. Abbey wasn’t quite sure what her husband was up to. It certainly was not like him to pass up sex it in favor of walking on the beach.

****

Walking along the top of the cliffs, on their way back to the guest cottage, Leo and Jordan paused to watch the couple below. Illuminated in the glow of the moonlight, Abbey and Jed strolled along barefoot at the edge of the water. They walked side by side, arms wrapped around each other’s waist with Abbey’s head laying on Jed’s shoulder.

"You okay?" Jordan asked, rubbing Leo’s arm. She hated the wistful, longing look that always took over his features when he watched Abbey.

"Not at the moment, but I will be. Dance with me?" He held a hand out.

"Leo, the music stopped."

"Who needs music?" He pulled her toward him and began to gently sway her to the music only he could hear. For one moment, he was holding Abbey and dancing with her under the stars. For one moment, he knew what it was like to have her willing and pliant in his arms. But, as his hands moved up and down the back of the woman he held to his body and he tried to tuck her head against his chest, something was wrong. This woman’s head did not fit under his chin, instead she was tall enough to look him right in the eye. This woman was not small and softly curved, she was bigger boned and strong. This woman was not Abbey Bartlet, and suddenly it clicked inside him that it wasn’t wrong at all. That maybe for the first time in a long time something was actually right. He leaned forward to cover Jordan’s lips with his and felt her begin to respond. It was the first time he had kissed her since the debacle on New Years Eve when he had groaned out Abbey’s name.

Jordan had also not forgotten that painful night. She couldn’t do it again. She couldn’t be a substitute for Abbey Bartlet. If Leo was going to kiss her, it had to be HER. She reluctantly pulled back looking him straight in the eye.

"Say my name, Leo."

"What?’

"Say my name. I need to know who you were kissing just now. "

"Jordan," he said, touching her cheek softly. It was a small step, a baby step, but at least it was a step in the right direction. A part of him would always love Abbey, that was something he was slowly coming to accept. But, in accepting that, he had also come to realize that there was more room in his heart than he had ever thought possible, maybe even room for a bossy lawyer who physically did not resemble Abbey in the least.

****

Abbey felt the contrast of Jed’s warm body against her, while the cold ocean licked at their toes. The glittering full moon leant everything a magical glow of light and shadow. They spoke softly, reminiscing about all the feelings that hearing those songs tonight had created within them. Before long they had reached the end of the sandy beach and were confronted by a wall of huge rocks. Abbey stopped and started to turn back but Jed continued to propel her forward.

"Aren’t we going back?" she asked.

"Nope." He lead her through a break in the rocks that lead to the sheltered cove. As she came around the corner of the wall, Abbey’s breath caught in her throat. There laying on the sand was an elegantly laid out picnic blanket. On the blanket was a wicker picnic hamper with two champagne flutes sitting on top and a bottle of champagne on ice. Next to the blanket was a small campfire waiting to be lit.

"Jed, what is all this?"

"Our own private, romantic anniversary party."

Abbey eyed the picnic basket while Jed squatted to light the small fire. "Jed, I could not eat another bite of food, I’m stuffed."

"Don’t worry about it." He stood and placed his hands on her hips. I’ve planned an evening of rigorous physical exertion. I’ll help you work up an appetite." He bent to press a kiss to her collarbone.

"I’m not going to mess around with you HERE. We aren’t going to do this OUTSIDE."

"Wanna bet?"

Abbey shivered at the devilish glint in his eye.

TBC...