As they reached the bottom of the plane's stairs several dignitaries, including Bonnie McElveen-Hunter the U.S. ambassador to Finland greeted them. Abbey bent to receive a bouquet of flowers from a little boy and after the obligatory small talk Jed was led to the small dais that had been set up for his impromptu remarks. Abbey felt his hand shaking on the small of her back and turned to look at him. The north wind had picked up and she was certain the wind-chill had gotten to the point where it was cold even for Jed. Sure enough, it was almost discernible, but she could see that his teeth were chattering. She was going to kill him for not putting on his wool overcoat, for not only was the jackass going to catch pneumonia, but also there was no way that he was going to be able to speak with his body shivering so badly. While it would serve him right to let him make a fool of himself, Abbey saw a flash of panic in his eyes and knew that she had to do something to help him out of this jam.

As Jed took his place behind the lectern, Abbey forwent her usual spot at his side and instead pressed up closely behind him. Leo flashed CJ a puzzled look as they watched her surreptitiously slide off the kid gloves she had been wearing. As unobtrusively as possible Abbey slipped her hand under his suitcoat and tugged softly to free the back of his shirt so she could get to his bare flesh. Jed continued to wave at the cheering crowd not letting on in anyway that Abbey's very warm hand was sliding down the groove of his spine to rest and begin massaging the small of his back in order to get the blood circulating and create warmth. Abbey saw that it was working when the tension left his jaw and he was able to speak to the crowd without shaking. She continued her ministrations until his short speech was over.

"The next time you pull something like that I'm going to let you freeze, "Abbey informed him as they got into the limo. Members of the senior staff followed. It was the first time that Abbey had been in such close proximity to Leo since finding out how he felt about her and it was very disconcerting. Realizing how much thigh she was revealing by crossing her legs she slowly slid her leg back down and smoothed her skirt trying to get it to reach her knees. Leo did not miss the move and he felt a wave of embarrassment and shame that he had done this to her.

"Hey, if I can get a massage like that at every speech I'm never going to wear my coat again. Besides it wasn't all THAT cold," he scoffed.

"Not that cold?" Josh's eyes widened. "Your lips were almost blue Mr. President. I was in a wool coat and I was cold."

"You're from the south, Josh."

"I'm from Connecticut, sir," Josh reminded him.

"That's what I said. The south. You're south of New Hampshire where we have real winters, harsh winters, manly winters…"

"So manly that your wives need to practically give you a rubdown to keep you from going into hypothermia?"

"What could be more manly than that? I'll bet the statistics for late summer births in the north is much higher than in the south."

"Jed, I hate to burst your little bubble but if you remember correctly most of our northern kids were born in the winter," Abbey reminded him. Jed thought for a moment of conception time.

"Oh yeah," he remembered with a lascivious smile. "Summertime in Maine. Sunshine and bikini's and socked- in foggy days."

"Jed," Abbey pinched his arm. "That's enough." She gazed at the amused faces of his staff, all that is but Leo who was scrunching in the corner hoping nobody was looking his way. He didn't want anyone wondering how he was taking the normal flirty banter of the First Couple. Suddenly Abbey realized that something was missing. Wherever they went, whether it was home or abroad there had usually been people lining the streets to wave to the motorcade. The streets of Helsinki were virtually empty except for stopped traffic. Given the large crowd of people at the airport she found that strange and somewhat eerie.

"Where is everyone? " she asked with a frown. She saw the guilty, uncomfortable looks on the faces of her husband's staff. "What aren't you telling me?" she turned accusing eyes on her husband.

"Nothing. They're just taking precautions."

"What kind of precautions?"

When Jed didn't answer right away Abbey turned to Ron. "What kind of precautions, Ron?"

"There have been some serious threats made against the life of the President and President Shugurin so rather than take a chance we sealed off all the roads that lead to the motorcade. We have allowed space around the hotel for the Finnish people to get the chance to see you in a more controlled environment."

"Why didn't you tell me there had been threats, Jed?" She asked angrily.

"There are always threats, Abbey."

"Not like this, they don't always seal off an entire motorcade route."

"Abbey this trip is tough enough on you. I didn't want you to worry."

"Don't keep things from me," she pleaded with frustration. " I need to be prepared."

Jed nodded knowing that she was right. It hadn't been fair to keep this from her. He would be pissed if the shoe was on the other foot and she hadn't told him about threats made to her. Suddenly the car was quiet, the laughter and teasing of a few moments before were history. The specter of Rosslyn all weighed heavily in their minds. For Leo, Josh, Sam and Toby it was the sound of gunfire, the screaming of the crowd and the complete chaos as the President and his daughter were whisked away. For CJ it was sitting in the limo watching the President choking on his own blood and groaning his need to see his wife before he died. For the President it was all pain, pain and the cold fear of death. For Abbey it was a hellish night of last rites and watching her husband hooked to respirators, ventilators, catheters and IV's struggling so hard to survive the nearly mortal wounds. But it was more. It was something she could not bring herself to talk about even with her closest friends. It was living every day with the fear that someone might try yet again to take her husband's life, and that this time they might succeed.

Finally the limo pulled up in front of the Hotel Kamp where they Shugurins had already spent the night. As the President and First Lady stepped from the car another huge cheer erupted from the crowd that had been awaiting their arrival.

"AAA-BBEY, AAA-BBEY," the crowd began to chant. Abbey gave a small wave to acknowledge them and another loud cheer echoed down the streets of Helsinki.

"Now I know how Jack Kennedy felt in Paris," Jed said to her, as he placed his arm around Abbey's waist to lead her in. "I don't think anyone is going to buy that these crowds are out in support of the summit. They're all here to see you, toots. I'm just the man on your arm." There was no maliciousness in his words, no jealousy; in fact it was just the opposite. He was beaming with pride at the reception his wife was receiving. CJ smiled fondly at her boss's response to his wife's popularity and remarked to herself yet again that only an incredibly strong man, one who was completely certain of his own power and worth could deal with being upstaged by his own wife with actual pleasure.

"I think that you have one or two admirers yourself," Abbey tilted her head toward the two college aged girls who had welcomed them to the hotel with flowers for Abbey and a kiss on each cheek, European style, for Jed. They were whispering and giggling to each other and touching the cheeks he had kissed as if they would never wash again.

"Oh Abbey, they're just girls," he scoffed at the idea.

"Don't sell yourself short, babe. I've heard even some of Annie's friend's think you're pretty hot." Abbey gave a soft laugh at the embarrassed blush that flushed her husband's cheeks. He truly was oblivious to the effect that he had on women young and old.

Drawn to the window by the cheering outside, Vladimir and Lyudmila Shugurin stood watching the adulation in the scene unfolding below.

"Well," Shugurin sighed. "The Americans have arrived."

* * * *

After a quick refresh Jed was whisked away to a full day of summit meetings at Mantyniemi, the official residence of the President of Finland, while Abbey was off with Mrs.Shugurin for a day of official visits and sightseeing. Accompanying them was Bonnie, her Russian counterpart, interpreters, and Pentti Arajarvi. Abbey chatted up a storm with Pentti and Bonnie and tried to engage Lyudmila Shugurin but it was obvious from the older woman's countenance that she had no desire to be on this trip at all. In fact Abbey had read in the biographies of the couple that Mrs. Shugurin was only rarely seen in public and she pretty much never accompanied her husband abroad. She was a gray haired, heavy-set woman with the cool, dour expression Abbey had seen on Soviet leader's wives during the Cold War. Evidently freedom hadn't heated things up too much she thought, trying not to smile at her own wit. Still, Abbey did try to include the woman in her observations.

Their first stop of the day was at a place close to Abbey's heart, a visit that she had requested when given a choice of things to do. HUCS Lastenklinikka was a children's hospital where, along with caring for the children of Finland, they also did charity operations for Russian and Estonian children that several organizations raised money for. As Abbey stepped from the limo another cheer erupted for her from yet another crowd. Ignoring that the calls were for "AA-BBEY", and ever the politicians wife, Abbey stepped closely to Mrs. Shugurin thus pulling her into the spotlight. The woman gave her a steely glare and Abbey was reminded of those old, stuffy Republican wives back home. It was quite obvious that Lyudmila Shugurin did not approve of Abbey's enthusiasm for the trip, nor the frenzied adulation that seemed to follow her everywhere.

Abbey had spent most of her adult life working in hospitals but children's hospitals just broke her heart. She spent most tours as she was now, with a lump in her throat and thinking, "there but for the grace of God, go I". She felt the sting of tears as two children of about six or seven approached her carrying stuffed animals. From their bald heads Abbey deduced that they were fighting cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

"These are for your children, Nicholas and Aislinn," one stated in stiff, stilted, memorized English.

"They're adorable, thank you," Abbey smiled and accepted the animals.

"They are Teemu-bears, what are our mascot," said the other girl in more broken English.

"Well, I'm sure that they will both love them." Abbey kissed each one on top their head, touched that these children who were fighting for their lives would want to give her own children a gift. She passed out little packets of M&M's with the White House logo on them and they continued on down the hall to a neonatal ward. Abbey saw a young woman in tears leaning over an incubator that held a tiny premature baby. Abbey urged the others on and approached the woman.

"Is this your child?" she asked. Memories flooded her as she took in all the tubes and wires attached to the fragile infant.

The woman turned, stunned to see Abigail Bartlet. "Yes, my son, Juha," she said, wiping her eyes with embarrassment.

"It's OK." Abbey took her hand to stop her from wiping the tears. "Believe me, I know just how hard this is. My daughter Zoey was born 7 weeks premature."

"She was?"

"Yes, and this was the hardest part. Sitting and watching her with all those tubes attached and wanting more than anything to hold her in my arms."

"Wanting to touch him, " the woman nodded.

"And comfort her, and tell her that I was sorry for all the pain that she must be in. But it does get better. Zoey came home and she is strong and healthy and I'm sure your Juha will too. My prayers are with you." Abbey touched the woman's arm and turned to leave the room.

"Mrs. Bartlet," the woman called out. "Thank you."

Abbey smiled and moved on to finish the tour.

Mrs. Shugurin seemed to tour the hospital on autopilot, unable to keep up with Abbey's vast medical knowledge, but finally the woman's façade did crack just a bit when she found Abbey sitting by the bed of a little 18 month old girl who was hooked to a heart and lung machine. She was waiting for a heart transplant and from the looks of it Abbey was pretty sure that unless they found one very quickly she was not going to make it. She was sitting quietly stroking the toddler's hand, no interpreters, no press, just a mother and a child almost the same age as her own. She felt a tear slip down her cheek as she remembered Aislinn's tearful good- bye the day before. She couldn't imagine what it must be like for the mother of this little girl and the helplessness she must feel at not being able to save her dying child.

"It is hard, no?" Lyudmilla asked, placing an arm on Abbey's shoulder. "To watch a child suffer." Abbey turned with surprise. She hadn't been aware that the woman spoke English.

"Yes, very hard. It's something I've never been able to get used to. They're so innocent, so helpless."

"You miss your young ones," she said knowingly.

"Yes, very much. They aren't really talking all that much yet but both begged me not to leave them to come here. It was really hard to walk away from their tears."

Lyudmila nodded rubbing her shoulder gently. She had at first been irritated by the younger woman's fashions and the cheering crowds that followed her, but watching Abbey with the children at the hospital had almost made it impossible to dislike her.

After the visit to the hospital the entourage entered a sightseeing boat where they dined elegantly while touring the city. Pentti Arajarvi began to address most of his comments and historical observations to the pretty American First Lady, who seemed to absorb the information that he was giving her with much interest. She peppered him with questions and no one seemed to notice that Lyudmila Shugurin looked tired and bored. After lunch and the tour, Bonnie and Pentti informed them that they had a couple of free hours to do some informal shopping. Lyudmila declined the invitation; instead she wanted to go back to the hotel and rest. They had a long evening ahead of them with a state dinner planned at the Presidential Palace. Abbey, on the other hand, was always up for a good shopping spree and was always on the lookout for souvenirs to bring back to her family and friends.

As Pentti politely began to follow them toward a limo, Abbey turned to him. "You've been a perfectly charming host," she told him. "But I know that my husband would rather have his eyeteeth removed than spend an afternoon shopping with me."

Pentti smiled at her somewhat sheepishly. He had not been looking forward to accompanying the women shopping. "I really don't mind," he insisted, but Abbey could see that it was half hearted.

"Please, go about your day. I'm sure you have a lot of preparations for the state dinner tonight. I know exactly how that goes. Bonnie and I will be just fine."

"If you're sure."

"I insist."

"Well then," he tipped his hat toward them and began to head to his limo whistling, thoroughly under Abbey Bartlet's spell. While he had known that she was attractive, he had thought that she might be demanding, or pushy. Instead she had been a compassionate, eager, and completely lovely touring companion. He wondered if his wife would have similar compliments when speaking about the President.

* * * *

Jed sat back in his chair rubbing his weary eyes. The talks had been going non-stop for 8 hours with just a quick break for lunch. Most of the day had been spent discussing what to do about the dangerous disarray of the Russian nuclear arsenal and intelligence and Jed began to wonder if they would ever come up with a satisfactory resolution to that problem. The meeting had begun to break up so that he could return to the hotel and prepare for the state dinner, when he felt something rubbing up against his ankle. He glanced under the table to see two cats.

"Sorry about that," stated Tarja Halonen, the President of Finland. "I opened the door and they came in."

"Are they yours?" He asked leaning down to scratch behind an ear.

"Yes, that's Miska, and that one is Rontti." She suddenly got an alarmed look on her face. "You're not allergic to cats, are you?"

"No," Jed grinned. "I lived on a farm and we always had barn cats and my girls always had housecats."

"Do you have any now?"

"No. We have a dog."

"Ah yes, a German Shepherd. The one that got shot when…" Tarja's voice trailed off not wanting to bring up the bad memories of the break in at Harmony Point and the attack on his wife. It had been big news, even in Finland.

"Yes, his name is Max. He's a great dog. Listen, could I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course."

"My wife is pretty down in the dumps about having to leave our kids behind and I'd like to do something special for her. I know the Shugurins have decided to return right to Russia after the summit and won't be going with us to the Savonlinna Opera Festival so I was wondering if you might know of somewhere kind of romantic in the area where we could stay sort of off the record."

Tarja thought for a moment and a smile broke over her face. "I know the perfect place. Just leave it to me Mr. President and I'll take care of all the arrangements."

"Thank you," Jed gave her a pleased, boyish smile and turned to leave the room. Tarja watched him walk down the hall. She had just met the most powerful man in the world. She had watched him throughout the day. He was an extremely intelligent man who could at any given moment be as tough as nails, brilliantly compromising, or flashing a wit and charm that could diffuse the tension during even the worst of the stalemates. Yet the lasting impression that she had of him was from this last conversation which showed that the leader of the free world was also a very caring and thoughtful man. It would be very interesting to meet the woman that inspired the romantic side in such a man. She glanced down at her wristwatch and realized that she wouldn't have much longer to wait to do just that.

TBC...