The Valley of the Shadow
by: Rhiannon & AJ
disclaimer: Just two kids playing with another kid's toys...


Jed sat up in his bed, watching Abbey sleep. He glanced over at the clock ...
it was almost nine o'clock. A long last, this day was almost over... But it
still wasn't over yet...

When they had arrived at the White House, Jed had put Abbey to bed and she
had yet to wake. Jed had had to fill many long, apprehensive hours by
himself. He had tried, at one point to work through some of the papers
Charlie had brought up to him. That didn't last long; his mind kept jumping
back to the conversation he and Abbey had had in bed that morning...

He made her get up and go to the pool...

If he hadn't insisted, then she wouldn't have even been in that pool...

If he hadn't made her get up out of bed...

Finally, Jed had been consumed by his emotions. He walked out of their
bedroom and charged around the White House, trying to work off some of his
agitation. Then, he walked back to his bedroom and piled up on the bed next
to Abbey...

Jed jumped at the sound of the phone ringing. He reached over and picked up
the receiver, "Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. President?"

"Yes, this is President Bartlet..."

"This is Doctor Richard Lewis, I treated the First Lady."

"Yes, Dr. Lewis." Jed said, rising from the bed. He picked up the phone and
walked into the bathroom.

~~~

A funny noise penetrated the foggy mind of Abigail Bartlet. She struggled to
place the noise... It sounded like ringing ... like a phone ringing. She felt
someone move away from her...

Where the hell was she? She felt around where she was laying. A bed ... she
moved her hand up along the headboard ... her bed, at the White House. She
was in her bedroom, in her bed at the White House.

She lifted her hand to her face and felt the bandages that masked her eyes...
It hadn't been a dream. This was all too real.

She heard Jed's hushed voice. He sounded far away, like he wasn't in their
room... He was in the bathroom; Jed was on the phone in their bathroom. She
heard him hang-up. She sat up as he walked into the room, "Who was that?"

Jed stopped at the sound of Abbey's voice, "That was the doctor at the
hospital."

"And?"

Jed set the phone back on the night stand and sat back on the bed, "And, he
called because the results from the tests came back."

"And?"

"And ... it's not good news." Jed paused. "There were chemicals in the pool
that shouldn't have been there. So, when you jumped in and opened your eyes
under water, the retinas in your eyes were burned... That's why you can't
see."

Abbey sat in stony silence for one long moment, "Is this temporary or
permanent?"

"He's not sure. He recommended a doctor that's here in DC to examine your
eyes. He said that there was the possibility that surgery might be able to
repair your eyes."

"The possibility?"

"Abbey, I-"

"Help me to the bathroom," Abbey said, cutting him off.

Jed lifted her off the bed and walked her to the bathroom door. He started to
go in with her, but she brought an unsteady hand up to his chest and shook
her head. He watched as she shut the door and then locked it, cutting him
away from her.


TBC....

Ch 3 Romance Stories Index Ch 5