FF: Another Shot at Happiness, 9
Another Shot At Happiness
Part 9: The Truth Comes Out
Rating: CHILD
Author: Natasha
Notes: Almost there. One more chapter to tie up some strings, and then I’m gonna try and take a breather. Thanks for hanging in there!
Abbey rushes after Jed, winding through the hallways of the hospital as quietly as her spiked heels will allow. Whoever invented stilettos obviously didn’t intend for the wearer to run across tile floors, that’s for sure. She spots him just ahead of her, entering the room where their friends still wait, and marvels at the strength of his adrenalin. He’s older and needs a cane to walk, and yet he easily outran her. Without stopping to catch her breath or gather her thoughts, Abbey follows him into the waiting room.
Jed is across the room, standing beside Annabeth‘s chair. “C’mon. We’re leaving.” The petite blonde stands, a confused look on her face. “But, what about CJ?” The former president now has everyone’s attention, and only Toby knows what might have happened to piss off their former boss. “CJ’s fine. We’re leaving.” Abbey walks over to stand between him and the door. “You’re not even going to give me a chance to explain?” Jed shoulders past her. “Nope, sweet knees. I know everything I need to know. I saw it with my own two eyes.”
Jed limps to the door and then turns around, not wanting to leave without giving his friends some sort of explanation. “I’m sorry to leave like this, but I cannot stand to be in the same room with my soon-to-be ex-wife. She’s a hypocrite, and we’re getting a divorce.” Everyone stares at the former first couple in shocked silence. No one had seen this coming, not even Donna with her strange sixth sense about this sort of thing, and no one wants to break the silence and send the angry couple in front of the off them deep end.
Jed opens the door to leave, but Abbey can’t help shouting, “I never slept with her!” Josh’s mouth drops open, and someone could have pushed him over with a feather. The former president stops and turns around, glaring at Abbey. “I know what I saw, Abigail. And what I heard. You love her, don’t try and deny it.” Abbey walks a bit closer so she doesn’t have to shout, but the room is small enough for everyone in it to hear what she’s saying. “I didn’t, I won’t. I do love her. I have for some time now, but I did not sleep with her. I was never unfaithful to you. I would never have broken our wedding vows, although it seems I’m the only one who took them seriously.”
The former president takes a step closer to Abbey, invading her personal space just enough to make her take a step back. “Do not try and make me out to be the bad guy, Abigail. I love you, I never wanted to hurt you.” Abbey laughs. “No, you just wanted to be free to sleep around. I was willing to stay married to you, even though I wasn’t happy, because I knew that a divorce would not play well in the press and I didn’t want you and the girls to go through all of that. I would have stayed married to you, even though I was in love with someone else. When I walked in on you and Annabeth, I felt like a complete idiot. How could I have been so stupid?” Abbey turns away, not wanting to say anymore in the crowded room.
“I only slept with her because you wouldn’t let me touch you with a ten-foot pole. You walked around like the snow queen- what was I supposed to do?” No one says anything as Annabeth storms out the door in tears. Abbey turns back around, glaring at the former president with fire in her eyes. “What were you supposed to do? How about honoring your promise? One term. We had a deal. You could have died in office! That job was killing you, and you signed on for four more years. When you started getting sick…. I had to talk to someone. You weren’t listening, so I went to CJ. I didn’t plan on falling in love, but I don’t regret it. I was dying on the inside, and she made me feel loved and wanted. I can’t turn my back on that.”
Jed looks around the room, as if he just now realized that they had an audience. The former Bartlet Administration staffers were staring at the former first couple with their jaws open, unable to process what they had just been witness to. Looking back at Abbey, the former president seems to deflate a little. “Aw, hell, Abbey. I’m sorry. When I saw you with her, I-” Abbey cuts him off. “I know, believe me. I came to New York to see if CJ wanted to try and make this work, but I never wanted you to find out like this. We were going to dinner and we were going to talk about all of this, but then we ended up here and everything got a little crazy.”
Abbey cautiously steps closer to the former president, and he wraps his arms around her. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I should never have gone off like that. I want you to be happy- you deserve it. I wish it could have been with me, but… I’m glad you’ve found someone who makes you happy.” Abbey lets out a breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding. “I’m glad you found Annabeth, too. You should go after her, Jed. I’ll explain everything here, just go get her back.” Jed pulls away, looking into Abbey’s eyes one last time, wanting to make sure she was truly happy. When he sees the look in her eyes, the one he used to be able to put there, he nods and turns to go after his girlfriend. Wiping a lone tear from her eyes, Abbey turns to her impromptu audience with a nervous laugh. “Well, I guess I’ve got some explaining to do.”
Part 9: The Truth Comes Out
Rating: CHILD
Author: Natasha
Notes: Almost there. One more chapter to tie up some strings, and then I’m gonna try and take a breather. Thanks for hanging in there!
Abbey rushes after Jed, winding through the hallways of the hospital as quietly as her spiked heels will allow. Whoever invented stilettos obviously didn’t intend for the wearer to run across tile floors, that’s for sure. She spots him just ahead of her, entering the room where their friends still wait, and marvels at the strength of his adrenalin. He’s older and needs a cane to walk, and yet he easily outran her. Without stopping to catch her breath or gather her thoughts, Abbey follows him into the waiting room.
Jed is across the room, standing beside Annabeth‘s chair. “C’mon. We’re leaving.” The petite blonde stands, a confused look on her face. “But, what about CJ?” The former president now has everyone’s attention, and only Toby knows what might have happened to piss off their former boss. “CJ’s fine. We’re leaving.” Abbey walks over to stand between him and the door. “You’re not even going to give me a chance to explain?” Jed shoulders past her. “Nope, sweet knees. I know everything I need to know. I saw it with my own two eyes.”
Jed limps to the door and then turns around, not wanting to leave without giving his friends some sort of explanation. “I’m sorry to leave like this, but I cannot stand to be in the same room with my soon-to-be ex-wife. She’s a hypocrite, and we’re getting a divorce.” Everyone stares at the former first couple in shocked silence. No one had seen this coming, not even Donna with her strange sixth sense about this sort of thing, and no one wants to break the silence and send the angry couple in front of the off them deep end.
Jed opens the door to leave, but Abbey can’t help shouting, “I never slept with her!” Josh’s mouth drops open, and someone could have pushed him over with a feather. The former president stops and turns around, glaring at Abbey. “I know what I saw, Abigail. And what I heard. You love her, don’t try and deny it.” Abbey walks a bit closer so she doesn’t have to shout, but the room is small enough for everyone in it to hear what she’s saying. “I didn’t, I won’t. I do love her. I have for some time now, but I did not sleep with her. I was never unfaithful to you. I would never have broken our wedding vows, although it seems I’m the only one who took them seriously.”
The former president takes a step closer to Abbey, invading her personal space just enough to make her take a step back. “Do not try and make me out to be the bad guy, Abigail. I love you, I never wanted to hurt you.” Abbey laughs. “No, you just wanted to be free to sleep around. I was willing to stay married to you, even though I wasn’t happy, because I knew that a divorce would not play well in the press and I didn’t want you and the girls to go through all of that. I would have stayed married to you, even though I was in love with someone else. When I walked in on you and Annabeth, I felt like a complete idiot. How could I have been so stupid?” Abbey turns away, not wanting to say anymore in the crowded room.
“I only slept with her because you wouldn’t let me touch you with a ten-foot pole. You walked around like the snow queen- what was I supposed to do?” No one says anything as Annabeth storms out the door in tears. Abbey turns back around, glaring at the former president with fire in her eyes. “What were you supposed to do? How about honoring your promise? One term. We had a deal. You could have died in office! That job was killing you, and you signed on for four more years. When you started getting sick…. I had to talk to someone. You weren’t listening, so I went to CJ. I didn’t plan on falling in love, but I don’t regret it. I was dying on the inside, and she made me feel loved and wanted. I can’t turn my back on that.”
Jed looks around the room, as if he just now realized that they had an audience. The former Bartlet Administration staffers were staring at the former first couple with their jaws open, unable to process what they had just been witness to. Looking back at Abbey, the former president seems to deflate a little. “Aw, hell, Abbey. I’m sorry. When I saw you with her, I-” Abbey cuts him off. “I know, believe me. I came to New York to see if CJ wanted to try and make this work, but I never wanted you to find out like this. We were going to dinner and we were going to talk about all of this, but then we ended up here and everything got a little crazy.”
Abbey cautiously steps closer to the former president, and he wraps his arms around her. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I should never have gone off like that. I want you to be happy- you deserve it. I wish it could have been with me, but… I’m glad you’ve found someone who makes you happy.” Abbey lets out a breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding. “I’m glad you found Annabeth, too. You should go after her, Jed. I’ll explain everything here, just go get her back.” Jed pulls away, looking into Abbey’s eyes one last time, wanting to make sure she was truly happy. When he sees the look in her eyes, the one he used to be able to put there, he nods and turns to go after his girlfriend. Wiping a lone tear from her eyes, Abbey turns to her impromptu audience with a nervous laugh. “Well, I guess I’ve got some explaining to do.”