After a quick stop to my office I wander over towards the Oval Office. Mrs. Landingham is getting ready to leave.

"How is the President feeling ma'am? Should I expect him in the morning?"

"He's getting some much needed rest at the moment. I don't think he will be doing much work tomorrow. Can you clear at least the morning?"

No problem. Is everything OK? I know he hasn't been himself lately. I tell him he needs to eat better, but he doesn't listen"

"Don't feel bad, he doesn't listen to me about that either" I laugh.

"Have you seen Mr. McGarry? Margaret seems to have lost him again. She paged him but he didn't answer"

"He's up in the residence. I think Leo turned off his beeper when the President fell asleep. And I'm sure he won't be hearing it now anyway. When I left the two of the were snoring away, one on the couch and the other on the chair." Mrs. Landingham can't help but smile. "I'll let Margaret know where to find him"

"Hope you have a good night dear"

"Thanks"

I enter the Oval Office. The lights are still on and everything is where Jed left it a few hours ago. I straighten up the photos on his desk a little, it gives me something to do. I sit in his chair and stare at our wedding photo. And at the one of the whole family taken on the porch of our farm in New Hampshire. I realize that was taken right before Jed was diagnosed. It seems like such a long time ago.

I hear a knock at the door and Margaret pokes her head in.

"I heard where Leo is, are you sure everything is OK?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Do you want me to have Leo call you when I get back upstairs"

"No, I'm on my way out. Just do me a favor and ask him to turn his beeper back on if he leaves the residence"

"No problem, have a nice night Margaret"

"Thanks"

Before any more people stop by to ask how Jed is I leave the office and head out through the Rose Garden. I hear my agent a few yards behind me.

"I'm just going to sit for a minute"

"No problem, ma'am"

The night is crisp and clear. I realize I really should have brought a jacket with me when someone places an old sweater of Jed's that he keeps in his office around my shoulders. For a minute I just pat the hand that has placed it there, not even knowing who it is behind me. Josh sits down, looking very worried. I really have to talk to Jed about clueing in the rest of the staff. I can't lie like this much longer. It's getting harder to hold things together.

"I hope I'm not interrupting. I was in the Oval Office putting something on the desk when I saw you out here. How's he feeling? I don't mean to pry but is there something more to this or is the President just exhausted?"

"He's just tired and has a touch of the stomach flu. He'll be fine. By the way Leo is with him if you are looking for him"

I don't think Josh really believes me but he leaves anyway. I wrap the sweater around me and walk slowly back to the residence.

It's almost 9:30 by the time I return. I manage not to run in to any more people on the way, which is a relief.

Jed and Leo are right where I left them, snoring away. Jed seems a little more relaxed and he feels cooler. The thermometer reads 100.8. A little better but not where I want it. I rewet the washcloth and put it back on his forehead. I grab the remote and curl up on the couch with Jed's head in my lap again. He stirs but doesn't fully wake up. I notice the wastebasket has been cleaned and put back into it's place. I move it a little closer, just in case.

The next 2 hours pass without a problem. The guys snore away and I channel surf while keeping one eye on the TV and the other on my sleeping husband. Finally at midnight I can't feel my legs any longer and I have to get up. In one motion I lift Jed's head up, stand up and put him back down on the couch without waking him. I'm getting good at this. I grab the can of soda and walk around the room and out onto the balcony to stretch my legs. While finishing my drink it occurs to me that Jed hasn't had anything to drink in the last 7 hours, since he came up here and God only knows what he ate/drank today. I can make a safe bet that it wasn't vegetables. Thoughts of dehydration start to form in my head. I tell myself if it comes to that I will call Hackett and stop playing the doctor and just be the wife. I see someone moving in the room out of the corner of my eye. Jed tentatively tries to sit up. I come in just in time to help adjust the pillows. Against his protests I check his temperature, still 100.4. Could it fall any slower, I wonder.

"I thought the baby-sitter was supposed to stay awake. Remind me not to have Leo watch the grandkids. How long has he been asleep."

"You have both been snoring away for a few hours. Guess he needed some rest too. How are you feeling?"

"Like crap, thank you very much"

"Can I get you anything, a drink, snack, the wastebasket? Seriously, if you don't drink something substantial soon you're running the risk of dehydration. Do you think you can keep something down? Because if you can't I'm going to call Hackett and have him order an IV."

"No IV, please. I'll try. My stomach's feeling a little better. How about the soda"

"Uh, I just drank that, I'll go get another one. Don't get up, stay on the couch"

"Yes, Dr. Bartlet"

When I return with the soda he's actually still on the couch, trying to read a book without his glasses. Not a good idea for someone who is dizzy with a queasy stomach.

"You know you can't read without your glasses. Here try to get some of this down. Take it slow."

I get some more ibuprofen from my bag and hand it to him. He gives me a slightly annoyed look and swallows them with some of the soda. I hope he keeps them down. He won't be happy with the alternate route of administration.

I once again sit down at the end of the couch. Jed stands so I can swing my legs up and then he settles down by stretching out, leaning back on me so my chin rests on top of his head. I stroke his hair with one hand and rest the other on his chest while he slowly tries to drink the soda. He only gets a few sips down and starts to shake. I grab the wastebasket, just in case. I take the soda and hug him tightly as we silently concentrate on deep breathing. I debate waking Leo.

"Need the basket?"

"No, I'm alright. Just hold me"

I am more than happy to oblige. His breathing gets slow and steady, as does mine. I think he is just about asleep when Leo wakes up.

"How's he doing?"

"Not great. Fever is still up over 100 and he's not having much luck taking any fluids. I'm worried about dehydration. He got a couple of sips down but if he is still having trouble in an hour or so I will call Hackett and get an IV going"

"Did you tell him that?"

"Yeah, you can imagine his reaction"

"Must you two always talk about me like I'm not in the room?"

"Sorry Jed, we thought you were asleep"

"Do you want to sleep, Leo and I can go talk in the hall."

"No, that's OK."

"Are you up to talking about a few things Mr. President?"

"Why did something happen while we were napping?"

Leo crosses to the other chair so he is facing us. I know what he wants to talk about and I give him a slight nod.

"Mr. President, Jed, I think it is time to discuss going public with your condition or at least coming clean with the rest of the senior staff. I don't want to speak for Abby but I know it is getting harder on me, keeping things quiet and making everything appear normal when sometimes things aren't."

"Jed, I just think that it would be easier if at least the senior staff knew. You're putting yourself through more stress keeping it inside. And since your relapses tend to be stress related you're making things harder on yourself."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't want people making a fuss over me, I'm the President of the United States for God's sake. How would it look, people helping me out of chairs and leading me by the arm."

"Sir, it would look like you were human, which, like it or not you are. After a little while things will be back to normal. I will talk to the staff, they won't baby you. How about we tell them first and then we can think about going public."

"Abbey, what do you think?"

"I think it would be easier all around if more people knew. I would worry less about you. Everytime you start to look tired, run down and stressed out I drive Leo and Mrs. Landingham nuts calling to make sure you are OK."

"You really do that"

"She certainly does, my friend"

"I'll think about the public. For now schedule a meeting with the senior staff for noon tomorrow. I'll have to let you know where in the morning. Hopefully I can get off the couch by myself by then, if not they can come here. I'll put on my best pj's."

"I'll leave you two alone to talk for a while. Oh, Leo, if you leave don't forget to turn your pager back on. Margaret thought she lost you earlier"

"No problem, Margaret panics too much"

I grab Jed's sweater and walk out to the balcony for some fresh air. I can't hear them, I can only imagine what is being said. I can see their profiles as they face each other on the couch, Jed leaning back on the arm with the quilt wrapped around him, Leo leaning forward. I watch as Jed appears to get very upset and it is all I can do not to go running in and hold him tight. But Leo has things under control, he hands Jed a tissue and gets him to take some of the soda. They talk for a few more minutes. By now Jed is looking very worn out so Leo rises from the couch and slips his shoes and jacket back on to leave. He gathers his things from the table. He leans down as if to tell Jed one last thing but instead plants a kiss on his head. I once more burst into tears. Leo notices I have been watching and winks and throws a kiss in my direction. I do the same as he closes the door. I decide to give Jed a few minutes to himself. I see him get up slowly and head towards the bathroom. Something doesn't look right about the way he is moving..