After the big skating party just a couple of days before, Christmas Eve was a much smaller celebration. Abbey spent the morning baking Christmas cookies with Zoey and the kids. Zoey had tried to get Jean Paul to participate but after watching the twins "ruin" several cookies by pounding little candy silver bells into them and pouring piles of green and red sprinkles on them, he declined even trying one. Jed didn't have any such reservations.

"Cookie, dada," Aislinn held out a Santa shaped sprinkle laden cookie.

"Well, thank you, Miss. Aislinn, don't mind if I do." Jed took the cookie, immediately biting into it. "Oh�oh my goodness, this is the BEST cookie I've ever had. You don't know what you're missing, Pierre." Jed rubbed his belly making a big show of how much he was enjoying the cookie, which caused Aislinn and Nicholas to giggle.

"Here dada�cookie." Not to be outdone Nicholas handed him an angel loaded with silver bells.

"Oh, Nicholas, I don't know." Jed closed his eyes as if in heaven. " I think this cookie is just as good as Aislinn's. Who made these cookies anyway? Certainly not you two."

"Yes," they both nodded enthusiastically.

"Uh, who made these cookies?" Abbey asked, as she used the spatula to remove hot cookies from the cookie sheet.

"MOMMY!" Both kids shouted.

"With a little help from my elves." Abbey grinned and kissed each child on the cheek.

Jed scoffed another cookie hot from the oven earning a slap to the hand from Abbey. "We're having lunch soon, you're going to ruin your appetite."

"Hey, I just wanted to sample mommy's cookies."

"You can sample mommy's cookies later," Abbey whispered into his ear eliciting a chuckle from Jed and a groan from Zoey.

"I HEARD that, Mom."

"What did I say?" Abbey asked innocently.

"Hello, hello, we come bearing gifts."

"GAMMY! GAMPY!" Both children slid from their chairs and raced across the room to greet Abbey's parents and her sister Jane. They entered the house with arms filled with wrapped presents.

"Pwesent," Nicholas said, reaching up to his grandfather.

"Uh uh," Michael held the gift up out of his grandson's reach. "You have to wait until tomorrow morning."

"Santa come 'morrow," Aislinn informed him.

"Yes, Santa is coming tomorrow." Beth bent to kiss her granddaughter's cheek.

"And if you're both good and stop accosting your grandparents maybe Daddy and I will let you open one present after supper," Abbey told them.

"'top costing," Aislinn hit her brother's arm. Nicholas gave her a puzzled look; he had no idea what his sister was asking him to stop doing. His mind was geared to one thing only.

"Pwesent, Aslinn." He grabbed his sister's arm and pulled her along to follow Abbey and Jed as they helped the O'Neills place their gifts under the tree.

"Do NOT touch any of these gifts," Jed wagged at finger at them.

"We be good, dada," Aislinn promised him.

"I'm counting on that, kiddo."

****

Not long after four o'clock mass, Emily, Jon and Sally Bartlet arrived for dinner, with Ellie not far behind. The house smelled delicious, of balsam fir, sugar cookies, baking ham, and the pumpkin, apple, and mince pies that sat cooling on the counter and Bing Crosby was dreaming of a "White Christmas" in the background.

Jed's responsibility for the afternoon had been to shower with Nicholas and dress him. Abbey and Aislinn had gone just ahead of them and had been ready for the party sooner. Jed saw them from the top of the stairs. Aislinn was curled up on Abbey's lap in front of the fireplace reading the large red treasure trove of Christmas stories that they had been diligently reading since December 1st in preparation for the holiday. Aislinn was stabbing at the pictures with her finger.

"Pancer."

"Prancer," Abbey corrected her gently.

Aislinn nodded in agreement. "Pancer."

Jed chuckled and took Nicky's hand and the two Bartlet males made their way downstairs in matching dark brown pants and forest green sweaters. Abbey grinned as she saw her men and noticed that Jed had slicked Nicky's cowlick back the same way he had his own.

"Well, you two are looking pretty spiffy this evening," she told them.

"Gel." Nicholas touched his damp hair.

"Daddy put gel in your hair?" A smile touched Abbey's lips as Nicholas nodded affirmatively.

"He watched me do it and wanted the same," Jed shrugged sheepishly.

"Well, I think you look very handsome." Abbey kissed her son's cheek.

"You two don't look so bad yourself." Jed leaned back to admire Abbey's red silk sheath dress and the matching crochet bolero jacket she wore over it.

Aislinn jumped off Abbey's lap and began to twirl in a circle holding her skirt out. There wasn't much in the world cuter than his daughter in her red and black velvet dress, white tights and black patent leather shoes. Her blond curls were held back by a red velvet headband and her big hazel eyes sparkled with the excitement of the evening.

"Pwetty dwess, dada?"

"You look like an angel, sunshine," he kissed the top of her head. "Maybe we should put you on top of the tree."

Aislinn looked way up at the top of the nine-foot tree. "Me no want to." Her bottom lip began to quiver.

"Daddy was just teasing you, "Abbey assured her. "He isn't going to put you on top of the tree."

"Of course not," Jed squatted in front of her. "If I put you on top of the tree then I couldn't-----tickle you." He got his daughter giggling by tickling her under her arms.

"Mumma�Wudof." Nicholas tugged on his mother's skirt.

"Yes, I know, buddy." She pulled Aislinn from her father's grasp. "I promised them that they could watch Rudolph before bed."

Abbey set the kids up in beanbag chairs in front of the television then brought them each a cookie and a sippie cup of milk for their snack. Once they were content the adults were able to sip their eggnog, eat their pumpkin pie and visit with each other in peace. Later, as the fire began to die down Jed made his way out to the cords of wood that sat by the house.

"Man, it's colder than a witches tit out there!" He exclaimed as he came in from the porch carrying an armload of wood.

"Josiah!" Emily said sternly. "You watch your language."

"Yes, ma'am," Jed said contritely, and to everyone's surprise he bent to kiss his mother on the cheek. "You'll have to excuse my reprehensible behavior."

"Just don't do it again." She smiled at her son affectionately

Abbey smiled into her glass of eggnog noting the disbelief on the faces of those present. For the family it was the first time they had witnessed a warming of the mother/son relationship between Jed and his mother and for Jean Paul it was shock that anyone would reprimand a grown man, the President of the United States about his language.

"Silver and gold, silver and gold. Everyone wishes for silver and gold�" Jed's baritone was added to Burl Ives singing on the "Rudolph" video.

"Daddy, hush" Aislinn admonished him and Nicholas turned to him holding his finger over his lip indicating that he wanted him to stop singing as well.

"Well, I never!" Jed exclaimed with mock outrage. "Is this my own flesh and blood turning against me? You just wait. My lap is going to be off limits to a certain little duo when that Abominable Snowman comes out to scare you."

But, of course Jed's threat was an empty one. As soon as the Abominable Snowman entered the picture both Aislinn and Nicholas were welcomed on to his lap for a bit of reassurance. Jed held them to his chest and was chatting with his brother when Abbey indicated that the movie was over.

"Guess it's time for bed," he said.

"Ssh�"Abbey whispered. "They're asleep"

Jed glanced down to see that indeed both children had fallen asleep on his lap. Nicholas stirred as Abbey lifted him into her arms. The little boy gave a soft whimper of protest then buried his face into his mother's neck.

Jed rubbed his cheek affectionately against Aislinn's fair curls then got to his feet to follow Abbey upstairs to the nursery. While both children had remained sleeping for the walk up the stairs, changing diapers and putting on PJ's had proved to be a bit too much activity and both looked up at their parents with sleepy owlish eyes.

" 'tory," Aislinn prodded, as her father finished taping her diaper in place.

"ONE story," Jed said, pulling the soft red and green flannel nightgown over his daughter's head.

"Wudof" she said, pointing to the red-nosed reindeer on her Christmas nightgown.

"Me too." Nicky sat up and pointed to his own chest just as Abbey finished snapping his red pajama top to the dark green bottoms.

"You both have the Rudolph PJ's that you wanted and now it's time for bed." Abbey pointed to their cribs.

"Dwink." Nicky made sure that his mother was going to follow the established routine.

"I'll get the drinks." Jed went to the bathroom with two sippie cups and when he came back both children were settled on Abbey's lap waiting for their father to read to them. Abbey enjoyed the feeling of their warm, cuddly little bodies nestling into her so trusting and loving. These were the moments that caused her maternal heart to contract with the love that she held for her children, to wish that somehow, some way she could always keep them safe and warm right here against her heart.

Jed read them "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" as was a Bartlet tradition and by the time he got to "And I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight. Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night," both children had fallen asleep against Abbey's breasts.

Jed turned the blankets back in Aislinn's crib then turned to take the little girl from Abbey.

"Let's let them sleep together tonight," Abbey suggested. "They'll be less likely to climb out and come wandering." Jed agreed and pushed Aislinn's legs to one side so Abbey could settle Nicholas in on the opposite side without having Aislinns feet in his face.

"Dwink�" Nicholas murmured sleepily, his thumb slipping from his mouth.'

"You already had a drink, sport." Jed told him, running a hand over his forehead. "Go to sleep."

"But mumma�"Nicholas appealed to his mother.

"Go to sleep," Abbey said firmly.

Nicholas sighed, stuck his thumb back in his mouth and wrapped his little body around his Tigger, quickly falling asleep.

Abbey and Jed stood for a moment smiling in the doorway then proceeded to walk hand and hand back down to the party. Just outside the dining room they heard Jean Paul and Zoey.

"Isn't there any way that we can get out of going to church tonight?" Jean Paul asked. "Can't we just tell your parents we're tired?"

"No, we can't. It's midnight mass. I love midnight mass; it's the holiest night of the year. You're a Catholic, don't you feel that at least at Christmas."

"No, I don't Zoey. You know my Catholicism is not as important to me as it is to you."

Jean Paul had often been irritated that Zoey went to mass Sunday mornings with her parents when they were all in Washington. Religion had always been more important to Zoey than it was to him.

"Please, will you go for me? I'd really like you to be with me."

"Oh, all right," he sighed. "You really are such a bourgeois little girl."

Jed gave Abbey a long-suffering look. It was getting harder and harder to be pleasant to that young man.

****

It was almost midnight when the Bartlet motorcade pulled up in front of "Holy Trinity", the small stone church they had attended from the time they had moved to the farm. Jed stepped out of the car then held his hand out to help his wife and daughters. Jean Paul made a quick play to grab Zoey's hand, a play that was not unnoticed by Jed. He smiled at Abbey and reached his right hand out to take hers, while his left one clasped Ellie's. Together the three made their way up the stairs. As they approached the doors the sweetly pungent scent of incense grew stronger and the strains of the organ playing "Silent Night" grew louder.

Inside he let go of his wife and daughter's hands and moved to the left while Abbey moved to the right where they simultaneously dipped their fingertips into the holy water then made the sign of the cross before linking hands again to enter the church.

****

Jean Paul watched Abbey Bartlet re-take her seat in the pew next to her husband after singing a beautiful rendition of "O'Holy Night" something Zoey had informed him that she sang every year. He watched the President take her hand with a proud smile as they stood with the rest of the congregation to sing "O' Come all Ye Faithful". He had watched them with interest all evening long, watched the way that they leaned into each other when they spoke, the way that the First Lady's fingers would rest on the President's forearm when he spoke to others or the way that the President's hand would linger on the small of the First Lady's back to keep her from moving too far from his range.

"They are very close, no?" Jean Paul asked, nodding toward the clasped hands of Zoey's parents.

Zoey gazed at the two, smiling affectionately. "Yeah. My parents are a unit," she whispered back. "Two halves of one whole. My sisters and I always knew that they loved us very deeply but really I think that they truly only needed each other. We kids were just a bonus of that love."

Jean Paul nodded and stored that information for future use. He continued to watch the couple now praying together their "Profession of Faith" their fair and red heads tilted together.

"�.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen."

Jean Paul could see that their faith was strong, but was it unshakeable? He looked to the pretty red head beside him, and further over to her beautiful mother. Would Jed Bartlet's faith in God be strong enough to withstand what fate had in store for his family?

****

By the time the Bartlet's returned to the farm it was snowing lightly. While the girls and Jean Paul went straight inside Jed stood for a moment inhaling the clean, clear bite of the cold arctic air, savoring the stillness, the silence and the stars. It was a beautiful night, a holy night.

"Jed?" Abbey's voice was slightly husky, the way that it was when she was tired or making love. "We still have presents to put under the tree."

Jed nodded and moved from the cold into the warmth of his welcoming home.

It was another hour before Abbey had the stockings filled and Jed had all the presents under the tree. Jed grabbed a couple of cookies from the plate the kids had put out for Santa, then handed Abbey the carrots meant for the reindeer.

"What is this?" she asked with a frown.

"Hey, you're the health food nut."

"Hand one over." Abbey placed a hand on her hip and thrust the other one out at him demanding a cookie. Jed sighed and placed a sugar cookie in her hand. "By the way, did you put the puppy in our room?"

"No, she's sleeping with Ellie. I was afraid the kids might come into our room and find her." Jed finished off the glass of milk just as Abbey turned off the lights on the tree and together they walked up the stairs still munching on their cookies.

****

By the time the two crawled into bed a freezing sleet had joined the fluffy snow that had been falling earlier. They lay cuddled in each other's arms listening to the wind blow the icy little pellets against the bedroom window. It was after two and Abbey was already starting to fall asleep, but Jed still had something on his mind.

"This reminds me of the night that Ellie was born" he murmured warmly into her hair.

"Mmmm�" Abbey agreed. "Right here in this bed."

"But things are a little more quiet tonight."

"Very funny," she slapped him lightly on the arm. "The next time you push a cantaloupe out an opening barely big enough for Old Hickory you let me know and we'll see just how quiet you'll be."

Jed chuckled, his chest rumbling under her cheek.

"Besides, you weren't so quiet yourself. I seem to remember a lot of begging and pleading with me to keep the baby inside until Millie got here."

"You weren't very cooperative."

"Hey, talk to your daughter about that. She made me push her out."

"Do you think she loves him?" Jed finally blurted out what had been on his mind for the past week.

"Hmmm?" Abbey asked sleepily. "Who are we talking about now?"

"Zoey, do you think she loves Jean Marc?"

"Jean Paul?" Abbey snuggled in closer to Jed's chest. "What makes you think that?"

"Back at the White House. I heard her talking to Charlie. She told him that I would love the guy because she loves him."

"Is that what's causing this worried frown?" Abbey smoothed the area between his brows with a fingertip.

"He's not right for her, Abbey and I'm not just saying that because I don't like the idea of her dating. I really don't like this one."

"Jed, I wouldn't be too worried about what she said to Charlie. I suspect those words were more for Charlie's benefit than they were a description of her true feelings."

"You think she was trying to tweak Charlie?"

"Yeah, I think she was."

"What does she see in him, Abs?" Has she talked to you? I mean, he's not like any other guy she's ever dated."

"I think that's the attraction. I don't think Zoey is in love with him but I do think that she is infatuated with him. You're right, Jean Paul is different both temperamentally and culturally, especially from Charlie. When she broke up with Charlie she said it was because she wanted to have fun, she wanted to enjoy her youth. She's doing that with Jean Paul in way that Charlie couldn't. Jean Paul doesn't have responsibilities. He's a bit older, a bit more experienced, and he doesn't answer to her father. She finds that exciting."

"He's a colossal ASS. He ogles other women, including you and Ellie---don't think I missed that--- he treats Zoey like an amusing child and he has nothing but disdain for our country. He is a wastrel, pure and simple."

"I happen to agree with you, Jed," Abbey yawned. "I think Ash and Nicky are right on cue with not trusting him. I can't put my finger on it but there is something that I really don't like about him, something is just off. He makes me uneasy. But, Zoey's a smart girl. I don't think it will be long before the novelty of Jean Paul de Bourbon will wear off. No daughter of ours could truly love a man like that."

"From your mouth to God's ears, sweetheart." Jed kissed the top of her head drowsily.

"Now, can we get some sleep? You do know those kids of ours will probably be up around six."

"There's no putting them off, is there?"

"Nope."

"Okay, then, Merry Christmas, Abigail."

Abbey lifted her face accepting the gentle kiss to her lips. "Merry Christmas, babe." She pressed her cheek into Jed's soft cotton T-shirt and promptly fell asleep against his chest. Jed continued to run his fingers through the soft copper strands of hair that fanned out across his chest but within minutes he too fell asleep, a handful of Abbey's hair wrapped through his fingers. Outside the wind continued to howl and the snow and ice still pelted the sides of the house, but inside the inhabitants of the house slept on warm and safe and oblivious to nature's fury.

TBC...