“Guys.” She whispered. “Wake up.” She added as she shook Josh’s
shoulder gently. The two opened their eyes and looked around. Josh looked at CJ
and then at his watch.

“Oh. Thanks, CJ.” He murmured. Donna looked at Josh’s watch and smiled
at CJ. CJ smiled back and then kept moving down the aisle. Josh looked into
Donna’s eyes and smiled.

“Hey, you.” She whispered to him. He smiled and kissed her gently on the
lips. She kissed back and started to stretch.

“You sleep okay?” He asked as he felt the plane begin to land.

“Yeah, slept great.” She replied as she stretched her hand into his face. He
grinned as her ring flashed past his eye. Donna giggled as he took a hold of her
hand and kissed it gently. Down the aisle, CJ sat next to Toby and shook his
shoulder gently.

“Wake up, you. We’re in Texas.” She said softly. Toby opened his eyes and
looked around before nodding.

“Wonderful.” He muttered. CJ smiled weakly and got up again. Toby had
been so grumpy lately, no one wanted to deal with him for more than five minutes.
He was polite if he had to be, but lately, he rarely had to be. He was quiet with the
President, respectful with Leo, civil with CJ and downright grumpy to everyone
else. Some nights he couldn’t be found, and CJ knew that the press rumored that
those nights he spent with Andrea Wyatt, but CJ thought Toby had more sense
than that. She didn’t believe those rumors for a second. Ahead of her, the flight
attendant stood at the open door and slowly people started getting off the plane.
CJ walked down behind Toby and saw the limos waiting. This was going to be a
long, long trip.

Leo took a deep breath and looked around. The jazz club was busy tonight
but he knew the only reason he was there was to keep his mind off all the things
that were bothering him. He wanted to pretend that the rest of the world didn’t
exist right now, and just get lost in the jazz music and his diet colas. He’d been
alone for more than three months now. He’d talked to Jenny every once in a while
and they’d realized that things were better off when they were apart. He and Mal
talked all the time and he could see things getting more and more serious
between her and Sam. Now he felt like he’d lost both his daughters, and his wife,
and he was alone.

“I need another one over here.” A woman called as she leaned against the
bar, not more than a foot away from him. The bartender walked up and gave her
another drink, one that Leo could recognize as non-alcoholic. What was someone
doing, coming to a bar and ordering a soda? Of course, that’s what he was doing.
He glanced at her and found a pair of ice blue eyes glancing back. The woman
nodded to him and then looked at the band on stage. Leo looked at the band and
listened, taking a brief pause to glance at the woman again. She was tall and
slender, light brown hair framing her delicate face. Her features were sharp and
elegant and he found himself lost. She looked at him and smiled, thin lips
spreading across small, white teeth.

“You find something interesting?” She asked playfully. Leo shrugged and
looked innocently back at the jazz band.

“Oh, I don’t know.” He said coyly. “I think the band is pretty good.” She
laughed and nodded.

“I think they are too, but I can detect that with my ears. What are you
noticing with your eyes?” She teased.

“Just a woman who takes the time to come to a bar, alone, and order a,
what was it, Dr. Pepper?” Leo asked playfully as he peered over at her drink. The
woman nodded and held her drink up.

“Of course, but what about the man who comes to a bar, alone, and orders
a coca cola? I look at a man like you and I don’t see coca cola.” She admitted to
him. He shrugged and looked at her, his eyes meeting hers.

“My name is Leo McGarry.” He exclaimed as he held out his hand.

“Jeri Logan.” The woman replied as she shook it. “You look like someone
who could use a friend, Leo McGarry.” She added, a flash of concern in her eyes.
He paused and then shrugged.

“My friends are busy or not around.” He admitted.

“Well, that can change.” She assured him. “Come on. There’s a nice
secluded table over there and I’m always willing to listen.” She urged him and
pointed to her table. He shook his head.

“I’m not really at liberty to talk about these things.” He said softly.

“Why, because you’re the chief of staff?” She asked. He looked at her in
surprise. She chuckled. “What? You think I wouldn’t know who Leo McGarry is?
Especially when he’s in the newspapers somewhere around once a month?” She
asked playfully.

“Well, I thought that since you didn’t say anything . . .” Leo admitted. She
chuckled and urged him towards the table again.

“Come on. I promise, anything you say will be kept strictly confidential. In
the meantime, I assure you, I’m a good listener.” She said again. Leo chuckled
and moved with her to the table. As they sat down, the band picked up a faster
tune and their conversation was carefully hidden away from whoever might be
listening. Leo soon found himself chatting with the woman about many things, not
just his problems or hers. He talked to her about Jenny, Mallory, KD, his job, the
President and many other things. She talked about her late husband, her job as a
writer, mostly freelance short stories, her brothers and her time in the wars,
writing and witnessing all the atrocities that war caused, plus many other things
as well.

Hours later, Leo walked into his apartment and looked around, feeling
better about himself and his life than he had in a while. He pinned Jeri’s phone
number up by the phone and looked at a few of the pictures he had on his wall. He
found the one of him and KD. He didn’t know when he’d see her again, but he
hoped it would be soon. And somehow, he felt that it would be soon. He didn’t
know if it was a good feeling or a bad one, but he knew it was there, resting in the
back of his head. He would see her again. Soon.

“Jed?” Abbey’s voice murmured softly as she lifted her head off of the
pillow and looked around. She saw the clock and groaned. Why was it that men
always had to have their moments of crisis at two o’clock in the morning? Maybe
that’s why he loved to have those plane flights so early; so he could avoid the
early morning crises.

“Go back to sleep, sweetie.” His soft voice murmured into her ear before
she felt his lips softly touch her head. She shook her head and rolled over to see
him moving to the window.

“I can’t go to sleep. The bed’s too cold.” She murmured as she got up and
walked up behind him. He closed his eyes as she slipped her arms around his
waist and held him close. He turned and took her in his arms.

“This is all my fault, Abbey. I never should have let her go.” He whispered.

“Oh, Jed, this isn’t your fault. It’s no one’s fault.” She assured him as she
tried to get him to look in her eyes. “She made a decision. I thought we both
agreed that we had to find a way to move on until she made the choice to come
home.” She whispered.

“I can’t get her out of my head. I feel like something chased her away and I
should have been there to stop it. I’m the president of the United States and I can’t
even figure out what’s wrong with one of my daug—“ He stopped himself.

“She’s not your daughter, Jed. She’s a grown adult and she made this
decision on her own. I admit, I wish she hadn’t. I loved seeing her and Toby
together, and it hurts to see him now. He seems so empty. And Leo, so down-
trodden. But none of it is your fault. You did what you thought was best and in the
meantime, we’re going to wait.” She whispered to him. He held her close and
rested his chin on her head.

“I just wish she’d come home where she belongs.” He whispered.

“Home is New Hampshire, Jed. Just like for you and me.” Abbey teased.

“You know what I mean.” Jed retorted.

“Come on back to bed.” She encouraged before kissing him gently. He
kissed her back and moved with her.

“If you insist, my love.” He murmured before kissing her again and
pressing her down on the bed. She giggled as he kissed her neck and snuggled
with her under the covers.