Abbey re-entered the building behind Jed surprised to see Ellie in an intimate conversation with non other than the very handsome Congressman Sam Seaborn. A big smile crossed Jed's face at the sight of his friend and former senior staffer. She knew that he hadn't picked up on the subtle man/woman interaction that she had picked up on or he wouldn't be smiling quite so broadly. He was a man after all and intuition had never been his strong point. Seeing the chemistry between and Sam and Ellie was a surprise. They didn't know each other all that well. Ellie had not been a big part of the presidential campaigns and they had only seen each other once in while at the farm and when she infrequently visited the White House. But, there it was.

Abbey knew her middle daughter very well. Ellie was not a natural flirt and tease like Zoey, in that respect Zoey took after her. Ellie was quieter in her interest, more like her father, but the interest was definitely there. And, from what Abbey could see the interest was mutual. Despite the over 10 year age difference between the two seeing the attraction between them intrigued her more than it upset her. Ellie was the most private, most introverted of her daughters. She was the one who had had the most issues with her father's chosen profession, yet if Abbey wasn't mistaken, here she was showing interest in a man who was so very, very much like her father. Like Jed Bartlet, Sam was handsome, idealistic, intelligent, trusting, and even naive to a certain extent. He was also a politician. It would be interesting to see how Ellie would cope with that.

"Mrs. B." Sam smiled and approached her with three large bouquets of flowers and several cards. "These are for you and Zoey and Aislinn."

"Thank you, Sam." Abbey accepted his kiss to the cheek.

"And these cards are from all the members of congress. We couldn't get all the signatures onto one card, that's why you have so many."

"And you got elected to bring this over."

"We�ll, I sort of have an in at the White House. I mean I WAS right there in the room when Aislinn was born."

"Sam," Abbey laughed at the blush that now stained his cheeks. "You weren't actually there the moment I delivered her. I was still in labor when you came in."

"Well, it was a close enough call for me. Anyway, we just all wanted you to know how very happy we are that you're all back and you're all safe."

"Well, thank you, Sam." The smile left Abbey's face at the reminder of what she had been through, but she was ever the gracious First Lady. "And please, thank the members of congress for me."

"Ma'am." CJ came around the corner. "I know that this might not be an appropriate time but�"

"Let me guess. The press wants an interview with me. They want me to spill my guts on national TV."

"Well, of course they want that, but they know that isn't coming any time soon. What they want now is to see Zoey and Aislinn."

"No." It was one word but it was firm and it was final.

"Mrs. Bartlet. There is a lot of speculation going on. Speculation that the girls were hurt worse than they were."

"They were hurt ENOUGH, CJ. I'm not putting them through this. I can't believe you'd even ask me."

"Ma'am if this were just the press I'd blow them off. But, this is more for the American public."

"What?"

"You don't know what it was like while you were gone. There was nothing on TV but 24 hour special reports about your kidnapping. There were videos of your lives and of your speeches. Candlelight vigils were held in every major city and all over the nation. Churches opened for special services for people to join together and pray for your safe return. Schoolchildren made cards for Aislinn. Phone calls, telegrams, emails and letters poured into the White House. Whether you realize it or not, you all are part of America's family. They love you, they love your children."

When Abbey didn't say a word, CJ touched her elbow. "Please come with me."

CJ brought her to her office and popped a videotape in the VCR. Abbey watched in stunned silence as the images worked their way across the screen. Thousands of people with lit candles lining the Charles River in Boston, filling the pastures of Central Park, crowding under the arch in St. Louis, making their way across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and singing hymns in front of the White House. There were grade school children offering their own teddy bears to Aislinn, and people, strangers, breaking down outside of churches and crying as they spoke of wanting the First Lady and her daughters to come home safely. There were moments of silence on Wall St., and in the London House of Commons and heartfelt prayers offered by the pope to their kidnappers pleading for their safe release. It was still hard sometimes for her to believe that what she viewed as her own private life was anything but private anymore. It was both touching and a bit overwhelming to see what she and her family meant to the world.

"I want to do it, Mom."

Abbey turned to see Zoey in the doorway. Neither had heard her enter the room

"What?"

"I was just going through some of the letters and cards that were sent here while we were gone. A lot of people prayed really hard for us. They cared about us. I want them to see that I'm okay too."

"You're sure?" Abbey was still reluctant to parade her daughters in front of the press.

"I'm sure."

Abbey turned back to CJ. "Okay, then, but no speaking. She'll walk before the press with her father, let them see that she's okay and that's it."

"That's fine." CJ smiled tenderly at mother and daughter and turned to leave the room to alert the press.

"CJ," Abbey called out to her.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Just Zoey, no Aislinn. She's too little. It would be too overwhelming for her."

"Yes, ma'am. I understand.

****

"Do you want to finish up now so you can get up to Abbey and the kids and have supper?" Leo asked. "The rest of this can wait until morning."

Jed looked up at the clock. If only it was that easy, he thought to himself. "I don't think Abbey would relish the idea of eating a meal with me right now."

"She's pretty pissed?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Did you explain to her? I mean she has to understand why�"

"Leo, I really don't want to talk about this. We have a lot of catching up to do and we have to come up with a vice president. I'll talk to Abbey when she calms down about everything. Right now she's in no frame of mind to listen to anything that I have to say."

Leo nodded and reached for another folder. He had never been the type of person to pry into a friend's personal life, especially when that friend was shutting down on the subject. Jed loved Abbey. Abbey loved Jed. He had to trust that they would be able to work things out on their own terms.

Jed kept hard at work for a couple more hours. Avoidance of his wife's anger had always been easier for him than dealing with it straight on, especially when he knew it was not an anger that he could easily cajole her out of. He was hoping to give her the time and space that she needed to work through everything, but he couldn't stay away from his children. He had been a very lucky man to get his daughters back alive and he wasn't going to allow his trepidation over his wife's mood to keep him away from them.

He arrived in the nursery just as Abbey was finishing putting the twin's pajama's on. They were still damp and warm from their baths; Abbey's face still flushed from the steam.

"Daddy wead?" Nicholas moved to the bookcase and pulled out several books.

Jed didn't want to step on any toes. "Is it okay if I read to them and tuck them in?" He asked Abbey.

Abbey nodded curtly. "Their bottles are on the dresser. Nicholas decided that if Aislinn was getting a bottle he was getting one too."

Jed nodded remembering what the psychologist had said.

Abbey often stood in the doorway to watch her husband cuddle their children as he read to them, but tonight she was too raw, too hurt. She wanted to stay angry with him and watching him with their kids was certainly not a way to achieve that. Jed watched with a pained heart as his wife left the nursery with nary a glance back at them.

"Okay." He forced himself to be ebullient. "Who's thirsty?"

"Me, me." Nicholas bounced on his toes. Aislinn emulated his excitement but merely opened and closed her fingers to express her wishes.

Jed handed them each one of the bottles Abbey had made up, then lifted them up onto his lap. He discarded "Little Red Riding Hood" and Jan Brett's "The Trouble with Trolls" for he wasn't about to read to his daughter anything that included fictional monsters. The poor thing had enough nightmares dealing with the real life monsters she now knew. Finally he got to "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" and he started to read.

Later, with both children safely tucked away and the nightlights and one beside lamp left on, Jed made his way to his own bedroom. He wasn't sure what to expect from his wife. He was hoping to find that she'd thawed out a bit and would be willing to talk to him, but he was afraid that it was more likely that he was going to find his pajamas in a pile outside their door. He was grateful when he didn't see the pajama's, but surprised when he opened the door to find Abbey already in bed sleeping. It was barely eight o'clock. But, then again it had been a long day and she was still probably still suffering the effects of the trauma of her kidnapping.

Thankful that she hadn't booted him out of the bedroom he decided to turn in early as well. After brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas Jed slid into bed next to his wife for the first time in five days. He wished that their reunion had been under different circumstances. He wished that he could roll over and wrap her in his arms holding her protectively in his embrace. Instead he reached out a tentative gentle hand and rested it on the curve of her hip, if nothing else than to reassure himself that she was back and safely in his bed. Abbey felt it but didn't acknowledge it. She wanted so desperately to close off to him, but the contact of his hand was soothing and calming and while she couldn't admit that to him neither could she shove it off. Instead, she allowed the tears to seep from the corners of her eyes wetting the pillow with her misery.

****

Deep in the night when she was most vulnerable her guard completely down the nightmare took hold deep in the recesses of Abbey's mind. Her wrists were taped up to the bedposts, she was naked, spread-eagle with Hassan Al Khaleel between her thighs an evil grin on his face and a burning cigarette between his fingers. With a demonic laugh he moved the burning red ember closer to her chest�closer�closer�closer�

She came awake with a start, her hands clutching tightly to the sheets, her heart still racing with the remnants of her terror. She lay still for a few moments inhaling deeply to calm herself. As much as she didn't want to admit it, having Jed sleeping soundly beside her helped her to regain her composure. She couldn't, however, fall back asleep. Finally after tossing and turning her mind filled with images she wanted desperately to forget she rose to her feet, slipped her bathrobe on and left the bedroom, Max just barely a step behind. Since she had returned he had become even more of her shadow. As she moved to the kitchen to warm some milk for herself she found that Zoey was lying on the couch watching a movie. Abbey moved to her, sitting on the edge of the coffee table.

"What are you doing up?"

"Watching a movie."

"You know what I mean. Couldn't you sleep?"

"Couldn't YOU sleep," Zoey countered.

Abbey knew that total honesty was going to be very important in getting them all through the psychological ramifications of their kidnapping. "Yes, I could sleep. I just couldn't stay asleep. I had a nightmare."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Zoey's voice was barely a whisper. "I'm afraid that if I fall asleep I'll have another nightmare."

"Tell you what. I'll stay out here with you and we'll watch a movie and if we fall asleep and have a nightmare we'll be able to wake each other up. Deal?"

"Deal." Zoey sat up so her mother could sit beside her.

"What are you watching?" Abbey asked.

"Dumb and Dumber."

"Oh, Zoey," Abbey groaned.

"I wanted funny. But, you can pick out something else if you want."

Abbey moved to check out their movie selection looking to choose a better comedy. She bypassed she and Jed's collection of Tracy/Hepburn films because they reminded her too much of Jed. The movies had been favorites of them both since their college days and they often snuggled up on the couch to watch "Adam's Rib" or "Woman of the Year". Millie had often said that she and Jed reminded her of a good Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn movie and that certainly was not what she needed to be reminded of tonight. Instead, she settled on Hepburn and Cary Grant in the zany "Bringing Up Baby" and sat down on the couch with Zoey's head on her lap and Max curled up warmly on her feet.

****

The dreams held off for Jed until morning but just after dawn they came fast and furious. Zoey was a young girl again riding Morningstar in the paddock at the farm. He was watching her, applauding her horsemanship and then Morningstar spooked. He held his breath as the horse whinnied and shied and he watched helplessly as Zoey lost her balance. She was falling and he couldn't reach her to save her.

"Zoey�Zoey�" he mumbled in his sleep. But, before he awakened, his mind moved on to more torturous images. Images of Aislinn, so heartbreakingly innocent and adorable as she smiled and waved back to him, blowing him a kiss as she left the White House, then screaming with terror as she was lifted off her feet by a large man in a ski mask and taken kicking and shrieking from the barn.

"N�no�" his moans were growing more distressed.

Abbey was sitting with the girls in the sunshine watching the equestrian events and sipping lemonade. She was smiling, so completely unaware of the danger that lurked around the corner for her. But, he knew. He knew what was about to happen and he was running to them his terror mounting as he watched them all enter the barn. No, no, he had to stop them. He ran faster, threw open the barn doors and watched as the van drove away with his wife and two daughters leaving him with only a sneaker, a blankie, and a necklace to remember them by. He started to run again chasing the van down the road.

"Abbey�ABBEY!"

He jerked away with a start, much as his wife had earlier that night. He was out of breath, emotionally exhausted. His hand automatically reached out for his wife and he panicked when he felt her cold empty side of the bed. For a moment his heart lurched thinking that finding her had only been a good dream in a sea of nightmares. He got to his feet, still shaky with the remnants of his nightmare. He realized that he had been holding his breath when he found Abbey sitting up, head thrown back sleeping on the couch with Zoey's head in her lap. Zoey was not asleep; she was staring straight ahead at a TV that held no picture. Her big green eyes were horribly vacant and haunted. He didn't know what horrific pictures she was seeing on that screen but he was sure it wasn't blank.

Zoey saw movement at the foot of the couch and turned away from the TV. A broad sunny smile crossed her face. "Dad."

It was one simple word but the wealth of love and affection behind it caused his breath to catch in his throat. "Did you guys spend the whole night out here?" He spoke quietly trying not to wake Abbey as he bent to kiss his daughter on the forehead.

"Pretty much. We watched "Bringing Up Baby."

Jed smiled lovingly down at mother and daughter. He knew it was one of Abbey's favorite movies. "Well, I'm going to go and get your brother and sister moving. Is there anything I can get you?"

"I'm not an invalid, daddy."

"Indulge me, sweetheart."

"I'm fine, really. I'll be in for breakfast in a little bit."

****

Jed's heart constricted as he entered the nursery to wake up the twins. Sometime during the night Nicholas had climbed out of his crib and into Aislinns. They lay together; their foreheads pressed together, Nicky's arm thrown over Aislinn's shoulder in a position very reminiscent of the ultrasound they had gotten when Abbey was in her seventh month of pregnancy. It was the way that they had curled up in Abbey's womb and it was obviously comforting for them now. It seemed a shame to wake them up, so instead Jed started to pull out diapers and clothing for them to wear for the day. With the noise he was making, by the time he was finished the children were starting to stir. As he pulled their sleepy bodies from their cribs Aislinn made her way to the CD player pointing at it urgently as she tried to convey to Jed what she wanted. Suddenly it hit him. He remembered how important routine had been for Nicholas while Abbey and the girls were gone, evidently it was just as important to Aislinn now that she was home.

"You want me to play "Here Comes the Sun"?"

Aislinn nodded enthusiastically dancing on her tiptoes as Jed popped the CD in and the familiar song filled the room. While he changed their diapers and dressed them, Jed sang along just the way that Abbey always did. Then he brought them into the kitchen sliding them into their high chairs while he started to prepare breakfast. By the time Zoey entered the room he had the cappuccino maker gurgling, eggs scrambling on the burner, the "Lion King" soundtrack playing and much to the twins giggling delight he was singing along to "Hakuna Matata".

"So I see you decided to join the 21st century." Zoey moved to give her father a good morning hug.

"Don't tell anyone." He kissed her cheek, then turned back to the sizzling bacon.

"Morning munchkins." Zoey bent over each high chair to kiss her brother and sister on their chubby little cheeks then turned back to her father, popping one of the Cheerios he had spread onto their trays into her mouth. "Anything I can do to help you?"

"Could you make up a couple of bottles of apple juice for the twins and maybe slice some grapefruit. Your mother likes her grapefruit."

Zoey sent her father a pained glance. She knew why her mother was so upset but it was hard for her to watch her father trying so hard to get back on good terms with her.

Abbey entered the kitchen still groggy from her lack of sleep. "Good morning."

Jed was gratified that she'd actually spoken to him and turned to her hopefully but she was already walking past him to get to the refrigerator where she pulled a couple of ice packs out of the freezer.

"Did you smell the coffee?" Zoey asked.

"I heard it," Abbey told her. "Could that thing BE any louder." She handed her daughter one of the ice packs. "You shouldn't be on that ankle so much. Sit down and elevate it and keep ice on it."

"It's feeling much better, Mom. It's just a sprain."

"Zoey, put the ice on it."

Zoey knew that when her mother used that firm tone and got that stubborn glint in her eye there was no getting around her.

Abbey poured herself a cup of cappuccino then sat at the kitchen table with the twins pressing her own ice bag against her jaw.

"Mumma fall down?" Nicholas asked.

"What? " Abbey was confused for a moment by the question then realized that Nicky's only frame of reference came from himself and most of the time when he hurt himself it was because he fell. "No, honey. Mommy didn't fall down."

Aislinn's eyes grew stormy as she looked from her mother to her brother and she reached out her hand in a slapping motion. Nicholas stared at her not comprehending. Aislinn reached over to the ratty old stuffed Tigger he carried around and slapped it across the face.

Abbey didn't know how to react to her daughter's actions. Instead she bent to pick up Tigger off the floor and hand him back to a distraught Nicholas.

With a pang, Jed had observed every moment of his daughter's re-enactment of what had happened to her mother at the hands of the kidnappers. The thought of those animals not only slapping his wife around but also doing it in front of their daughter still rubbed him raw. "Don't worry, Aislinn. Nobody's going to hit your mother again. I'm not going to let anyone hurt any of you.

"Don't promise them things, Jed. You have no idea of what can happen to us." Abbey's spine stiffened and while she turned to face him it was as if she were looking right through him. There were dark circles under her eyes attesting to her lack of sleep and she wrapped her arms around her middle as if protecting herself against a cold that Jed didn't feel.

"I'm meeting with Ron this afternoon." She told him, her voice devoid of emotion.

"What for?"

"I want to go over security for all the kids. I want to know every detail of his plans to keep my children safe."

"Our children," he reminded her. "And you don't need to worry about that. Ron and I have gone over this extensively."

"YOU'VE gone over it with him, I haven't. That isn't going to cut it for me anymore, Jed. I want to know everything that is being done when it comes to safety issues. And�?�and I want to take Zoey, Aislinn and Nicholas to the farm. I want to take them home."

"I understand where you're coming from, Abbey, but I can't leave the White House right now."

"I know you can't." She got to her feet and moved to place her mug in the sink. She knew that her words had cut into him like a knife and while a part of her was sorry for that, a bigger part wanted to inflict the same kind of pain on him that she had felt when she found out about Abdul Shareef.

"They're my kids too, Abbey. I'd like to think that I have a say in whether you take them away from me or not."

"I'm not taking them away from you, Jed. I'm taking them away from here. Away from this place and the media and this whole circus lifestyle. They need peace and quiet and time to heal. Think about it, Jed. Think about what's best for them, for us, not what's best for you."

On that note, Abbey turned to leave the room knowing that her words had made their mark.

TBC...