The West Wing - The Jackal
Title: The Jackal
Pairing: CJ/Toby
Rating: Teen... to be safe.
Summary: After being admitted to hospital, Abbey meets and decides to adopt a fourteen-year-old girl. But there may be something more to this rogue orphan… can The First Lady help her?
A/N: Set during Season 2, but as I said it’s AU. There will be some moments when the story collides with a season as it should. When I originally posted this is was set in a later season and so there's a mention of Ben and Amy's turned up earlier than she should. So I stress... AU
--
Tuesday, October 10th 2000
8:05am
--
“CJ! CJ!” Came the familiar call as she walked out to the podium.
“Well, you sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.” She smiled as her loyal press settled down with a few laughs. “As most of you know, the First Lady was admitted to hospital last night after she fell down the stairs. She’ll be in hospital with fractured ribs and a broken leg for, the doctor says, about two weeks. But we all know America’s First Lady doesn’t take things lying down. She’ll be up and about in no time.”
“CJ! CJ!”
“David.”
“CJ, will this mean she won’t be attending the Children’s Charity Ball next week?”
“Unfortunately yes it does.” CJ replied. “But believe me, it does not mean The First Lady has given up on the children of America. Next question…”
--
9:45pm
--
“As far as we know there have been six casualties…” CJ’s statement was cut short as Abbey turned off the television. She looked around the room. It was now pitch-black thanks to the television being turned off. Reaching over to turn on her bed lamp, Abbey glanced at her watch on the bedside table. It was 9:45pm on her second night in hospital. She glanced back at the television, but decided she didn’t want to hear any more about the plane crash in Chicago. Her eyes fell on the wheelchair sitting in the corner of the room.
“I need to get out of this room.” She sighed as she slowly stood up on her good leg. Leaning against her bedside table she took one quick step making sure it was a big one. With one more step she slowly lowered herself into the wheelchair. “Now for the damaged damsel to kick some ass with security.” She muttered with a smile. Releasing the break she gently rolled herself towards the bed, grabbing a blanket in case it was colder outside her room then inside.
“Ma’am is there anything I can do for you?” A young man, he could only be in his late twenties, stood in the doorway the minute she’d opened it.
“Are you the new one they are forcing to watch me?” Abbey asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m not forced, ma’am. This is my job.”
“And your name is?”
“Special Agent Andrew Lockhart, Ma’am.” The young man answered.
“Andrew, wouldn’t you like if things got a bit more interesting instead of just standing here all the time?” There was a mischievous twinkle in Abbey’s eyes. One that only three people could ever pick up on: Jed, Leo and CJ.
“I prefer to do what I’m told. As of tonight I was told to watch this door and make sure no one enters who is unauthorised.”
“Aha, no one enters. I don’t know about you, but I’m going for a wander around the hospital.” Abbey declared. Pushing her wheelchair forward she tried not to smile as Andrew was forced to jump out of the way.
“Ma’am, I can’t let you…”
“Don’t worry about a thing. I found a loophole in your commands. Just do what you were told.” Abbey shrugged, rolling herself out of the room. Agent Hayworth stood up as he saw her in the hallway.
“Let no one enter. Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good boy.” Abbey smiled. “And you can come with me.” She pointed to Hayworth.
--
As painful as it was to see sick children, Abbey still found herself in the Children’s ward. Making Hayworth trail a fair way behind her, Abbey glanced into each room as she passed it. At least four occupied beds in each room, in some there were only two. Gliding down the hallway she came to a room with a light still on. She waited for her bodyguard to catch up with her.
“Wait out here.”
“Ma’am, I can’t leave you alone.”
“I’m in a children’s ward Hayworth. What harm could come to me?” she raised an eyebrow. “Stay here.” Quietly Abbey rolled herself into the silent room. Her eyes fell on the only occupant. A teenage girl was sitting up in her bed watching the news, cuts of CJ’s press briefing were still being aired. The girl’s attention moved to Abbey as she came into view.
“Hi.”
“Hello.” Abbey smiled softly. “I saw your light on.”
“The nurses let me stay up later then the other children, because I’m the only one in here.” The girl explained.
“And you look older then the other children too.” Abbey noted.
“I’m fourteen.”
“Almost an adult.”
“Yeah. My name’s Alex.”
“It’s nice to meet you. My name’s Abbey.”
“I know Mrs Bartlet.” Alex flashed a shy smile. “It’s an honour to meet the First Lady.”
“Well, thankyou.” Abbey smiled. She couldn’t help but feel like she knew Alex. Her eyes seemed strangely familiar. “Not many young teenagers could identify me, particularly looking such a mess. I thought all kids were too busy with sport and parties to care about little old me.”
“Yeah, well…” Alex shrugged and motioned towards the television where the news was finishing up. “I watch the news, read the paper. I also pay attention in Legal classes at school.”
“You’re interested in politics?” Abbey inquired, a little shocked at the idea.
“Well, sort of. I’m mostly interested in journalism.”
“Ah, of course.” Abbey smiled, moving her wheelchair closer to Alex’s bed. “Would you like to work at the White House one day?”
“With the press? Yeah…” Alex covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned.
“I think you better get some sleep.”
“I guess so.” Alex shrugged, turning off the television.
“You know, it sucks not having anyone to talk to. I’ll come and see you tomorrow.”
“Really?” The young girl’s face lit up with excitement.
“Yeah, why not.” Abbey agreed. “Goodnight Alex.”
“Goodnight Mrs Bartlet.”
“You can call me Abbey.”
“Goodnight Abbey.” Alex yawned as her eyes closed.
--
Chapter Two
--
Pairing: CJ/Toby
Rating: Teen... to be safe.
Summary: After being admitted to hospital, Abbey meets and decides to adopt a fourteen-year-old girl. But there may be something more to this rogue orphan… can The First Lady help her?
A/N: Set during Season 2, but as I said it’s AU. There will be some moments when the story collides with a season as it should. When I originally posted this is was set in a later season and so there's a mention of Ben and Amy's turned up earlier than she should. So I stress... AU
--
Tuesday, October 10th 2000
8:05am
--
“CJ! CJ!” Came the familiar call as she walked out to the podium.
“Well, you sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.” She smiled as her loyal press settled down with a few laughs. “As most of you know, the First Lady was admitted to hospital last night after she fell down the stairs. She’ll be in hospital with fractured ribs and a broken leg for, the doctor says, about two weeks. But we all know America’s First Lady doesn’t take things lying down. She’ll be up and about in no time.”
“CJ! CJ!”
“David.”
“CJ, will this mean she won’t be attending the Children’s Charity Ball next week?”
“Unfortunately yes it does.” CJ replied. “But believe me, it does not mean The First Lady has given up on the children of America. Next question…”
--
9:45pm
--
“As far as we know there have been six casualties…” CJ’s statement was cut short as Abbey turned off the television. She looked around the room. It was now pitch-black thanks to the television being turned off. Reaching over to turn on her bed lamp, Abbey glanced at her watch on the bedside table. It was 9:45pm on her second night in hospital. She glanced back at the television, but decided she didn’t want to hear any more about the plane crash in Chicago. Her eyes fell on the wheelchair sitting in the corner of the room.
“I need to get out of this room.” She sighed as she slowly stood up on her good leg. Leaning against her bedside table she took one quick step making sure it was a big one. With one more step she slowly lowered herself into the wheelchair. “Now for the damaged damsel to kick some ass with security.” She muttered with a smile. Releasing the break she gently rolled herself towards the bed, grabbing a blanket in case it was colder outside her room then inside.
“Ma’am is there anything I can do for you?” A young man, he could only be in his late twenties, stood in the doorway the minute she’d opened it.
“Are you the new one they are forcing to watch me?” Abbey asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m not forced, ma’am. This is my job.”
“And your name is?”
“Special Agent Andrew Lockhart, Ma’am.” The young man answered.
“Andrew, wouldn’t you like if things got a bit more interesting instead of just standing here all the time?” There was a mischievous twinkle in Abbey’s eyes. One that only three people could ever pick up on: Jed, Leo and CJ.
“I prefer to do what I’m told. As of tonight I was told to watch this door and make sure no one enters who is unauthorised.”
“Aha, no one enters. I don’t know about you, but I’m going for a wander around the hospital.” Abbey declared. Pushing her wheelchair forward she tried not to smile as Andrew was forced to jump out of the way.
“Ma’am, I can’t let you…”
“Don’t worry about a thing. I found a loophole in your commands. Just do what you were told.” Abbey shrugged, rolling herself out of the room. Agent Hayworth stood up as he saw her in the hallway.
“Let no one enter. Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good boy.” Abbey smiled. “And you can come with me.” She pointed to Hayworth.
--
As painful as it was to see sick children, Abbey still found herself in the Children’s ward. Making Hayworth trail a fair way behind her, Abbey glanced into each room as she passed it. At least four occupied beds in each room, in some there were only two. Gliding down the hallway she came to a room with a light still on. She waited for her bodyguard to catch up with her.
“Wait out here.”
“Ma’am, I can’t leave you alone.”
“I’m in a children’s ward Hayworth. What harm could come to me?” she raised an eyebrow. “Stay here.” Quietly Abbey rolled herself into the silent room. Her eyes fell on the only occupant. A teenage girl was sitting up in her bed watching the news, cuts of CJ’s press briefing were still being aired. The girl’s attention moved to Abbey as she came into view.
“Hi.”
“Hello.” Abbey smiled softly. “I saw your light on.”
“The nurses let me stay up later then the other children, because I’m the only one in here.” The girl explained.
“And you look older then the other children too.” Abbey noted.
“I’m fourteen.”
“Almost an adult.”
“Yeah. My name’s Alex.”
“It’s nice to meet you. My name’s Abbey.”
“I know Mrs Bartlet.” Alex flashed a shy smile. “It’s an honour to meet the First Lady.”
“Well, thankyou.” Abbey smiled. She couldn’t help but feel like she knew Alex. Her eyes seemed strangely familiar. “Not many young teenagers could identify me, particularly looking such a mess. I thought all kids were too busy with sport and parties to care about little old me.”
“Yeah, well…” Alex shrugged and motioned towards the television where the news was finishing up. “I watch the news, read the paper. I also pay attention in Legal classes at school.”
“You’re interested in politics?” Abbey inquired, a little shocked at the idea.
“Well, sort of. I’m mostly interested in journalism.”
“Ah, of course.” Abbey smiled, moving her wheelchair closer to Alex’s bed. “Would you like to work at the White House one day?”
“With the press? Yeah…” Alex covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned.
“I think you better get some sleep.”
“I guess so.” Alex shrugged, turning off the television.
“You know, it sucks not having anyone to talk to. I’ll come and see you tomorrow.”
“Really?” The young girl’s face lit up with excitement.
“Yeah, why not.” Abbey agreed. “Goodnight Alex.”
“Goodnight Mrs Bartlet.”
“You can call me Abbey.”
“Goodnight Abbey.” Alex yawned as her eyes closed.
--
Chapter Two
--