Getting There is Half the Battle
by Rhiannon and AJ
Jed sat in the quiet solace of his bedroom. In just two, very short days,
this bedroom would no longer be his bedroom... Instead it would be Abbey's
and his. Jed let out a deep sigh.
And in around forty-eight hours he would take on the role as father to three
remarkable children... He would officially be their stepfather.
Stepfather...
The very word came close to frightening him. Not even when he was elected
President, had Jed been more nervous.
'This is silly,' he told himself. 'You've been like a father to them since
you met them... Nothing is going to change.'
Jed looked up at a knock on his door, "Yeah?"
"Mr. President?"
Jed smiled when Leo poked his head into the room, "What can I do for you,
Leo?"
"Actually, Mr. President, I was wondering if there was anything I could do
for you." Leo said, walking further into the room.
Jed looked away for a moment, "Two days, Leo." Jed looked back at his best
friend, "I... when Mackenzie died..." he shook his head, "I just never
thought that I'd..."
Leo sat down next to him, "Jed..." he waited until he had the other man's
undivided attention. "I remember when Mackenzie died... I remember the pain.
She was my friend. And she was your wife and she loved you very much... Just
like Ron Erlich loved Abbey ... and those kids."
Jed looked away, "Leo ... do you think ... do you think I'll be a good father
... stepfather to them?"
Leo took a breath, "You're already a great Dad to them."
Jed looked back at him, "You think?"
"I know," Leo responded. "And I also know that Abbey would never even
consider getting involved with a man that those three didn't love ... no
matter what she felt."
"Yeah..." Jed trailed off. "She's a great Mom."
"Yes, she is," Leo agreed. "And, for reasons that I'm not all to clear on,
she's head over heels in love with you... The man that spilt his drink all
over her the first time he met her."
Jed grinned ruefully at the memory, "That was me in fine form..." He paused,
"Thank you..."
Leo shrugged, "Hey, just doing my life long job of making sure that you don't
wallow to much in your own thoughts... Cause we both know the danger in that."
Jed laughed in spite of himself, "Get out of here and go home."
Leo grinned all the way out of the door, "Goodnight, Mr. President."
Jed sat in his chair a few moments longer. Then he rose and walked to his
closet ... to what had been Mackenzie's side of the closet. Reaching inside,
he pulled out the lavender nightgown that he had never quite been able to say
good-bye to.
He stared at it for a moment and then reached for the box that was sitting
close by. He folded the nightgown carefully and placed it inside the box. He
sealed the box and set it outside his room for Charlie to pick up and take to
a storage room.
Jed leaned against the closed door, "Good-bye, Kenzie...."
TBC...