The next time Jed awoke, it was daylight. The sun was streaming through the windows and this time Abbey was not alone. His daughters were with her. His breathing tube was gone but his throat was very sore and dry.

"A...Abbey," he rasped weakly.

"Jed!" She was at his side in an instant. "Oh baby, you're awake," She began to stroke his cheek with one hand while the other rested on his thigh.

"Hey...are you getting...fresh with...me?" He asked. Abbey looked at him puzzled, then realized where her hand was.

"Jed. My God. Can you feel my hand?"

"Yeah," he grinned. Abbey moved the blanket from her husband's legs.

"Can you wiggle your toes?" She asked. They all held their breath as Jed moved his toes.

"Daddy you did it!!!" His girls squealed showering him with praise, hugs, and kisses. Abbey couldn't speak. She brought her fingers up to her trembling lips and felt the tears slide down her cheeks.

"Abbey," Jed reached out for her hand.

"You were right, Jed," she said simply. "You made the right decision."

"Yeah. But that doesn't mean...I...didn't put you...through hell."

"Well, yeah you did," she smiled, wiping her eyes.

"Are you OK?...Is everything OK?" He weakly raised his IV-laden hand to lightly touch her belly. Abbey knew he was trying to ask her about the baby without alerting the girls, in case they didn't know. They didn't. She wanted to tell them with Jed.

"Yes, sweetheart. Everything is fine. We'll talk later. You need to rest now. Rest and regain your strength."

"You too...All of you...I'm OK...go home...sleep...you look...awful."

"Same charming man I married," Abbey laughed.

"You didn't let...me finish. Beautiful but...tired," he tried to smile but his eyes were getting so heavy.

"Well that sounds better," Abbey said, squeezing his hand.

"Dad's right, Mom," Ellie said. "You haven't slept in three days." Jed sent her an accusing glare.

"I took catnaps," Abbey defended herself. "But now that I know you are doing so well pumpkin, I think I will go home and crash."

"We'll make sure she does, Dad," Elizabeth said and they all bent to kiss him before leaving the room.

"I am going back to the White House," she said to Jed's doctor (it would never be home for her, home was the farm). "I'm going to give you the direct line to my cellphone. If there is ANY change in my husband's condition, I want you to call me IMMEDIATELY.""

"Yes ma'am," he assured her.

With that done Abbey walked out of the hospital for the first time in three nightmarish days. She blinked back against the sunlight. It had felt more like three weeks. It was just amazing to her that the world had gone on while she had been keeping vigil. People were living their everyday lives, children were born, couples had wed and couples had divorced, children had gone to school, and all the while her world had come to a complete standstill. There were photographers snapping pictures of the pale, tired, and drawn First Lady but Abbey ignored them.

However, when the hundreds of well-wishers surrounding the hospital began to shout their support for Jed and ask how he was doing, she turned to them with a warm smile.

"He's going to be just fine," she called out. Before going into the awaiting car, her daughters brought Abbey to the corner of the hospital where people had been maintaining vigils and bringing tributes to their fallen President. There were hundreds of lit candles in holders, flowers, cards, and notes. Abbey read some of the messages expressing their 'Get well soon, our prayers are with you' sentiments. The more inspirational messages and poems visibly moved her. She was overwhelmed by the obvious love and concern ordinary Americans had for their President, her husband.

"I want your father to see this when he leaves," she said to the girls as they entered the car.

***

At the White House Abbey went by the oval office to see Mrs. Landingham. The door to the office opened and it was very disconcerting to see John Hoynes sitting at her husband's desk, disconcerting and wrong. Jed belonged at that desk, not John. It was frightening to think of how easily this could have become a permanent situation. John saw her and came out of the office.

"Hello Abigail," he said as he kissed her cheek. "How is the President doing?"

"Much better," she said.

"Well if there is anything Suzanne and I can do for you, please let me know."

"I will, John. Thank you."

"I am pulling for him, Abbey."

"I know," she smiled, "thanks again." John turned and went back into her husband's office.

Mrs. Landingham gave Abbey the faxes of well wishes from leaders all over the world, Prime Ministers, Presidents, Emperors, Kings, Princes, and even dictators. But, she was too exhausted to go through them all. She was also too tired to visit with all the family members who were gathered at the White House. She simply wanted to crawl between the cool sheets of her and Jed's bed and sleep for days.

She entered the bedroom finding it hard to believe that the last time she had layed in that bed, none of this had happened. She saw the book she had been reading that night before all this had happened. She saw the nightgown she had thrown off after her Secret Service agent had knocked on her bedroom door to tell her that her husband and daughter had been involved in a shooting. She knew that she would forever divide her life into before Jed was shot and after. Before she realized just how fragile life was and how easily it could be lost. She would never take Jed or the life they had together for granted, for in the blink of an eye it could all be taken away.

Abbey took the nightgown and threw it in the trash. She wanted no reminders of that night, of the terror that had filled her veins upon hearing 'The President was shot'. She was too tired to bother to look for another nightgown and simply stripped down to her bra and panties, fell into bed, and pulled the covers up over her head.

"Stay strong baby," she whispered to Jed as she fell asleep for twelve straight hours.

She didn't wake up until she felt someone stroking her hair back from her face. It was her mother.

"Sweetheart, we're all going to have some dinner. Do you want to join us or would you like to have a tray in here?"

"Mmmm..."Abbey said stretching out. She realized she was starving. "I want to take a shower first but then I'll join you." She moved to the bathroom feeling her stomach rumble with hunger. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she said to the baby in her womb, rubbing a hand over her belly, "I promise I'll start taking better care of you."

Abbey took her shower and came out feeling refreshed and more human. She left the bedroom wearing a pair of old faded jeans and one of Jed's Notre Dame sweatshirts. Her wet hair was pulled into a ponytail and her feet were bare.

"My God, you look about sixteen," Dr. Michael O'Neill said.

"I wish I felt sixteen Dad," Abbey said, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I feel about ninety." When Abbey stood up she saw Leo sitting alone on the couch in the corner. He looked lost in thought and she got worried.

"Leo," she said approaching him. "Have you been to the hospital?"

"I just got back a few minutes ago."

"How is Jed?"

"The same. In and out. The doctor said he should be more awake tomorrow when the anesthesia wears off and his pain meds are lowered. He is on some heavy duty pain medication."

"Well, he's had some heavy duty pain," Abbey said sadly.

"How are you?" Leo asked concerned. His eyes moved pointedly to her midsection. "Everything OK with the baby?"

"Jed told you." It was a statement not a question.

"He wanted me to take care of you and the baby if something happened. Abbey, we need to talk."

"What's wrong, Leo?" she asked with a worried frown.

"With everything being so crazy I haven't had a chance to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Abbey...I am so sorry," he looked down at the floor.

"What are you sorry about?" Abbey asked puzzled.

"Everything...All of this...it's all my fault.

"Leo, how is this your fault? Did you shoot Jed?"

"Abbey, I mean it, If I hadn't asked Jed to run for President, none of this would have happened."

"Leo, have you ever taken credit for getting Jed elected?"

"Of course not."

"Than why should you take the blame when something goes wrong?" Abbey cupped Leo's face in her palms and looked into his eyes. "Jed and I are big people, Leo. We made the decision to run together. If we hadn't wanted to run, there is nothing you could have said to convince us. This is NOT your fault. A crazy person shot my husband. I don't blame you. Don't blame yourself, Leo." She kissed his forehead and moved to join the family in the dining room.

You are one hell of a woman Abigail Bartlet, Leo said to himself, while Zoey leaned against the hall wall biting her bottom lip and trying to digest what she had just heard. Pregnant. Her mother was having another baby. What more was going to be thrown their way?

TBC...