Christmas Without You

by: AdoreLeo

Characters: Leo, Margaret
Pairing: Leo/Margaret
Category: Romance
Rating: TEEN
Disclaimer: The characters are from the NBC, WB, TV show The West Wing; they do not belong to me.
Summary: Its Christmas time at the White House and once again something is not right.
Spoiler: Anything up to and including Abu El Banat
Feedback: I would love to hear your opinion!
Author's Note:Beta By: Lynn, who went above and beyond the call... THANKS!!!!
Additional Ideas By: Katie, who always came through whenever I got stuck. THANKS!!!

Dec 25, 2003

Residence:

6:00 pm

The couples enter the dinning room. Jed walks Abbey to one end of the table, pulls out her chair, stands behind it, waits for her to sit, then pushes her up to the table. The other couples follow his lead and seat their ladies at the table and then sit down beside them. Margaret and Zoey are sitting across the table from each other, down by Abbey’s end of the table. Leo and Charlie are positioned the same way, next to Jed. The table is beautifully set with Abbey’s favorite Christmas china and silver.  The candelabra centerpiece is alight and dressed with fresh pine garland and red and white poinsettia leaves. The room itself looks like a Currier & Ives picture.

Earlier, when Margaret and Leo walked arm and arm into the room, he couldn’t help but be reminded of the last time he was in this room. The room itself, the table settings and the room’s Christmas decorations, looked exactly the same as it did that night that he had to come get the President from their pre-Christmas family dinner. He paused hesitantly hesitated before he entered the room that night, because he was unsure of how his presence would be received by Abbey. She had given him a rather pointed look, but had not said much to him that night. He had only been slightly lightheaded and his hands were a little on the shaky side, but he managed to stand there and talk with the President about the Attorney General. Thank God they left right away, because he’s not sure how he would have reacted had they stayed there, for a while.

Leo breathes a soft sigh of relief as he sits down beside Margaret. He made it into the room and sat down without any hint of a panic attack. He was a little worried that he might have another attack, like the last time he was in this room. That attack had been small, but he still worries that since he’s had one here before, that the episode might repeat itself tonight.

Margaret senses that Leo’s a little worried about something. She places a hand on his leg and gives it a gentle squeeze. "You ok?" She inquires in a soft voice that is loud enough for just Leo to hear.

"Yeah." He replies, as he pats her hand that’s on his lap.

Abbey’s POV:

Abbey watches Leo and Margaret, as they exchange whispers. She’s still really worried about Leo, because she suspects that Leo has had more attacks than he admitted to earlier. She watched him closely as he seated Margaret and then sat down himself. Leo seemed almost relieved when he sat down at the table. She’s going to have a talk with Margaret after dinner and discuss some of her concerns about Leo. She’s surprised that Leo has been able to hide his panic attacks from Margaret, a feat that Abbey didn’t think was possible. If Leo’s anxiety problem doesn’t improve soon, she’s going to call Stanley or maybe she should anyway. Having a few anxiety attacks after a stressful situation is not really too much of a concern, but if he continues to have them, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. It could be any number of things, but she’s not a specialist in that area, like Stanley is. She also needs to get Leo to go in for a physical, she’s not sure when he had his last one, but if she had to guess, it has been probably at least a couple of years, since his last one. This is other item of interest that she is planning to discuss with Margaret after dinner.

Abbey glances across the table at her husband, who also seems to be watching Leo, and Margaret too. Her husband gives her a smile. Abbey knows that he’s happy that Leo and she have worked things out between them, and she can’t help but smile back at him, and at the way that Leo’s been acting around Margaret. She hasn’t seen him act like that in years and even then, it was very rare. But then again, Leo had hidden his attacks from Margaret; a feat that Abbey didn’t think was possible.

Abbey’s surprised to learn some of the things that Leo has been going through these past few months. But, she isn’t surprised to find out that Margaret has been taking care of him during all of it. Those two have been quite a team, for years. She had noticed a change between them after the shooting. If she were to guess, that’s probably around the time that Margaret figured out that she was in love with Leo. Abbey also suspects that Margaret has probably been in love with Leo for years, but she was oblivious of her feelings towards Leo, until the shooting.

Abbey’s sure that Jed has a lot of questions for Leo and she has some for Margaret, too. Somehow, they’re going to separate them and find out some details about what’s going on between them. Abbey grins at the thought of Leo squirming, under Jed’s probing questions, about his up and coming wedding. She’d love to witness that. For the first time, since her husband has taken office, she’s hoping for something to happen, so that it will take Jed and Leo away for a while. Judging by the look on her husband’s face, she’s sure that he has something up his sleeve.

Abbey takes a quick look at Charlie. He, too, is watching the couple directly across the table from him. That is, whenever he isn’t a stealing glances at Zoey. Abbey remembers the distraught look on Charlie’s face when she arrived at Leo’s office last night after Leo had passed out. She knows that Charlie really likes and respects Leo and probably considers him a father figure like Charlie regards her husband. She’s sure that Charlie was worried that they were going to lose another member of the administration and his surrogate family, when Leo collapsed. She’s thinks that Charlie’s probably aware of everything that’s going on with Leo, because he’s too close to the situation to have missed all the problems Leo’s been having with the staff, Jed and even herself.

Charlie’s been through a lot in his young life; losing his mother, the shooting, the dead of Mrs. Landingham, a woman who was a surrogate mother to him and then Zoey’s kidnapping. Charlie had refused to leave Jed’s side throughout the whole kidnapping ordeal. Abbey also suspects that, between Leo and Charlie, they probably received the blunt of Jed’s ill humor, after she had taken Zoey away to the farm.

Abbey hopes that maybe Charlie and Zoey can find some way to become close again. Even if it’s just as good friends, Charlie’s such a good influence on Zoey and he’s been one of the few people who hasn’t coddled her since her rescue and still treats her the same as he did before. She knows that Charlie stills love Zoey because she has witnessed him shamelessly pursue Zoey while she had been dating that, ‘frog of a, prince’. Abbey notices that Jed’s watching Charlie too. ‘Oh God help that poor boy’, she almost says out loud, if Jed gets it in his head, to try and play matchmaker.

Jed’s POV:

Jed watches Leo and Margaret as they exchange whispers and then glances at his wife, who seems to be doing the same thing that he is. He’s very happy that Abbey and Leo have made amends, and hopefully, he will get to see more of Leo after hours from now on. But, seeing the expression on Leo’s face, and the way he looks at Margaret, tells him that he may be seeing even less of his best friend.

Jed noticed that Leo seemed relieved when he sat down at the table. Jed’s not sure what to expect from Leo in this situation, because he’s really never known anyone that has had anxiety attacks before; at least he doesn’t think he has. But, then again, Leo’s been having them for months and he had even fooled his best friend. When had they become so distant, that Jed couldn’t tell how Leo was feeling or know what he was going through?

These past few months have been hell for everyone involved. Jed had put Leo in a terrible position, and when he had told people that, ‘Leo would know what to do’ and at first, during the kidnapping, Leo knew exactly what to do and was relentless at his job. Jed was shocked to find out that Leo had hardly slept or eaten during it all. He’s just now fully realizing what an arduous spot he’d put his best friend in, while Walken was President, and during the months that followed.

Some senior staff members have just recently come to talk with him about Leo and tell him of their concerns about him. They hadn’t come forward sooner because Leo had been shielding him from the staff, and most of them were upset with Leo about how he had been acting and treating them lately. But the past few weeks, after the government shutdown, things were starting to get back to normal. Josh, CJ and even Toby had mentioned something about Leo in the past few days. At first, Jed was concerned that maybe it had all been too much for him and he had fallen into old habits. But before he got a chance to talk with Leo about it, he walked into his office last night just in time to witness Leo pass out.

Jed’s happy that Leo has finally found someone who is perfectly so suited for him, and he still can’t believe how he missed the feelings between Leo and Margaret. He can’t wait to get Leo off by himself tonight to find out what’s going on with them. He can’t believe they’re getting married this quickly, but Leo has never been one to go slowly when he makes up his mind. Jed decides that he’s going to have to come up with some reason to get Leo alone tonight and he knows that Abbey wants to talk with Margaret too, so that should make it easier. But he’s not sure if he can get Leo to leave Margaret’s side, so the excuse is going to have to be job related.

Jed watches as Charlie gives Leo a worried glance. Jed suspects that Charlie considers Leo another father figure, he knows that Charlie thinks of him that way and this knowledge makes him smile. Charlie was quick to action last night when Jed had yelled for him from Leo’s office. Not since the night of Zoey’s kidnapping, has Jed seen such a panicked look that was on Charlie’s face when he rushed into the office and saw Leo’s lifeless body on the floor.

Jed will never forget the loyalty that Charlie displayed during that entire nightmare of Zoey’s kidnapping. Charlie never left his side and has he been on of the few people that Zoey seems to open up to. He looks again at his young body man and notices that he’s shyly watching Zoey. Jed hopes that Zoey and he can become close again. He’d really like it if they starting dating again. Maybe he could find a way to help that situation along. He glances down at his wife, who’s giving him that ‘Stay out of it Jethro’ look and he frowns in her direction. Jed thinks that maybe he can get Charlie to help him get Leo out of the room after dinner and grins at the prospect.

Zoey’s POV:

Zoey’s been watching her parents exchange glances and she’s so glad to see them smiling at each other, and hopes that things will now start to get back to normal between them. They’d made up somewhat before this, but now she can see that they are both happier that the conflict between Leo and her mom has been resolved. Zoey wasn’t aware of the rift between her Mother and Leo, but then again, she had been away at the farm most of the time since her rescue. She’d have to ask Charlie later about what’s been going on while she’s been away.

Zoey’s amazed at the love she sees between Leo and Margaret. She’d never seen Leo kiss Jenny the way that he was kissing Margaret earlier. Margaret’s definitely good for Leo.  He really deserves to find some happiness, after all that he has been through since her Father took office. She hopes that Margaret will get him to start taking better care of himself. When she dropped by his office to talk to him yesterday, she was surprised at how his clothes hung off of him. He’s lost a lot of weight since she went away to the farm and she feels guilty that her kidnapping probably had a lot to do with the shape that he’s in. She knows that she shouldn’t’ blame herself, but it’s hard not to feel responsible for it all.

Zoey takes a quick glimpse at Charlie and finds him staring back at her, so she gives him a small grin. She’s so glad to have Charlie as a friend. He’s been great during this whole ordeal and he’s one of the few people who doesn’t treated her with kid gloves, since she got back from the farm. She wonders if there might still be a chance for them. She glances over to her Father and sees that he has been watching her and Charlie. She can tell what’s on her Father’s mind, poor Charlie is really in for it, later tonight, Zoey’s sure that her Father will start trying to push them together again, which she doesn’t think that’s such a bad idea at all.

Charlie’s POV:

Charlie surveys the couple across from him. He’s very happy for both of them and feels that no two people deserve their newfound happiness, more than they do. They have both served their country for the majority of their lives. The President wouldn’t be nearly as effective a leader without Leo by his side and Leo wouldn’t be as successful a politician without his legendry assistant by his side. Leo and Margaret have been a team that has been envied by the political community for years.

Charlie doesn’t know how Leo was with his ex-wife, because she was already scarce by the time he joined the administration. But Zoey was telling him, on the way to the dinning room, that she has never seen Leo so much in love and that she’d never seen Leo kiss Jenny with the fervor that they had witnessed earlier.

Charlie’s been worried about Leo for some time now. He and Margaret have become really close since Mrs. Landingham’s death. Margaret had come to him several times about Leo’s apparent decline in heath and his all too noticeable decline in demeanor. Margaret sought him out one night after Leo had chewed out CJ and told him that she thought that Leo might be drinking again. Charlie offered to help her look for signs, but he told her that he thought Leo’s change behavior was because he was doing the President’s job and running the staff all by himself. Margaret is the only person Charlie confided this alarming fact to.

When the President yelled for him last night, he ran as fast as he could to Leo’s office and when he entered the office and saw the President kneeling down beside Leo’s motionless body, he panicked. His first thought was that Leo had a heart attack and was dead. But then, he heard Leo moan and knew that at least he was still alive. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing another person in his life.

Charlie used to tease Margaret about her having feelings for Leo. But then Jordon came back into Leo’s life and Charlie promptly stopped the teasing, because he could see how Leo’s relationship with Jordon was hurting Margaret. He’d noticed that Margaret hadn’t been herself since the night of the reelection and her mood had deteriorated even more in the past few weeks. He’d caught her crying, only last week, after Leo had been called to the Situation Room. She brushed him off, by telling him that it was just her emotional time of the month, so he didn’t press the issue. But now, things seem to have worked out for her, and Charlie’s extremely happy for her, now if he could just get Zoey to notice him. Charlie inadvertently glances at Zoey again and this time she catches him.

Margaret’s POV:

Margaret’s hand is still resting on Leo’s leg. He seems to be fine for the moment, but, then again, it appears that he has gotten really good at concealing things from her. She makes a mental note to discuss this matter with Leo later tonight. There are a lot of things that she plans on taking up with him later tonight.

Margaret glances around the table. Not much has been said since they sat down. Leo and she had spent the first minute or so whispering to one another. She knows that this is not very polite thing to do, but she’s more worried about Leo than proper etiquette. She notices the President and First Lady exchanging smiles an then the First Lady gives the President some sort of pointed look, but Margaret doesn’t know Mrs. Bartlet well enough to figure out what her look means.

Margaret’s been worried about Leo since the kidnapping occurred. Things seemed to get worse after Zoey’s rescue. Margaret knows that Leo is smoking again; he’s not eating right and not getting enough of sleep. She’s going to give him hell about all of these things, the first chance she gets. Margaret witnessed Leo chewing out CJ for misspeaking to the press, and she was really starting to wonder what was going on with him. Then, later that day when CJ bought her release to the press to him, there was even more fireworks between them. This time it ended with CJ leaving Leo’s office in tears. Leo had been irritable and explosive for a while now, but this blow up with CJ sent Margaret’s early warning signal, into overdrive. After that altercation, Margaret went to Charlie and told him that she was afraid that Leo was drinking again. Charlie tried to convince her that it was because Leo was the one running the country, and that the President was mostly in a daze for months now and that Leo was protecting the President and trying to run the White House staff at the same time. Charlie told her that he would help keep an eye out for Leo for her. From that day on, Margaret searched his office on a daily basis and was always coming up with all kinds of lame excuses to run by his hotel, so that she could either check up on him or search his room when he wasn’t there.

Charlie and she have gotten really close since Mrs. Landingham’s death. She’s so glad to have Charlie to confide in, because Leo has been very unpopular with the Senior Staff lately, and even their assistants have even taken to shying away from her. Margaret gives Charlie a quick look. He and Zoey appear to be swapping shy glances with one another too. They made such a nice couple, she hopes that they might find their way back into each other’s arms. After this thought, she now thinks she knows what the look the Mrs. Bartlet was giving her husband earlier was. She was telling him by facial expression, to ‘Butt out’ of Zoey and Charlie affairs. Margaret has to suppress a giggle at this realization.

Margaret returns her attention to Leo and he gives her a small nervous smile. She can tell that he feels like he’s being watched and with good reason since everyone keeps glancing at him. Everyone at the table has been alternating gazes at Leo and the others at the table. Margaret knows that they are all worried about Leo, but she’s hoping that the staring stops soon, and that normal dinner conversation will start.

Leo’s POV:

Leo notices that everyone, at the table, has been watching him since he sat down at the table. He knows that he’s in for constant surveillance now that his secret has been exposed. Margaret will be at ‘Defcon Five’ all the time, Jed will be hovering and if Abbey has her way, he will be under a doctor’s close scrutiny at his earliest inconvenience. He knows Margaret and his friends far too well, to expect any less than this. The only two who seem to be at least slightly less noticeable in their assessment of him, are Zoey and Charlie. They seem to be more involved in stealing glances at each other and trying not to get caught by the other.

Abbey’s giving him those looks that only she can, concern and ‘I know what’s best for you’ all wrapped up in one. Leo’s glad that they have smoothed over their differences, because he has really missed their friendship these past few months. Her words had cut him deep, this past July Fourth, but he still believes that he deserved her outburst. The thing that really hurt him was when she told him that she didn’t want him in the Residence, because she didn’t want him near her or her family. That part has been his undoing. He will never stop blaming himself for Zoey’s kidnapping, no matter what she says. It is something that is going to be with him, for the rest of his life and he was going to have to find a way, to live with it.

Leo’s aware of Jed’s constant fleeting looks. Leo’s been running himself into the ground protecting this man and he’d do it all over again. Leo’s sure that there are going to be some new rules laid upon him by the President, and he’s sure that Jed’s going to go overboard with nurse maiding him, so he’s going to have to come up with a good diversion for the President. He hates to do this to the kids, but he’s going to mention to Jed that he thinks that Zoey and Charlie might just need a little push towards one another.

Leo’s positive that he’s in for it later tonight from his best friend, and he wonders how many little excuses the President has come up with already, to get him off by himself tonight and torment him. Jed’s definitely is going to pick on him about Margaret. He can just hear him now; ‘She’s pretty young for you.’, ‘She’ll help keep your files organized at home.’, ‘You’ll have to start taking vitamins to be able to keep up with her.’, ‘Isn’t she a lot taller than you?’ and ‘Do you still even remember how?’ Oh yeah, the after dinner banter is going to be so much fun Leo, thinks to himself.

Leo’s happy that Abbey and Jed seem to be have made up with each other. Neither one of them could survive without the other and he’s so glad to see that they seem to be almost back to where they were, as a couple, before the kidnapping. Leo’s always been a little envious of their relationship and he’s wanted to have the same thing for himself, but Jenny and he never clicked the way that Jed and Abbey did and in fact, still do. But, now with Margaret, in just this short time they have been together, he feels that they have such a strong bond, and thinks that they have a chance at the same type of relationship. This last thought brings a smile to his face.

Leo can’t help but stare at Zoey. He’s still having a hard time being near her and still feels incredibility guilty about what happened to her. She can tell him to stop blaming himself all she wants, but it won’t change his mind. But, he does feel a little relief that she still wants to be around him, because he was unsure of how she would feel about him after she got back from the farm. He’d done a good job of avoiding her after her rescue and before she went to the farm. He never even got a chance to find out if she liked her graduation present he got her. He knows that she never found her real present. He needs to mention that to her, tonight. Maybe that would give Charlie and her an excuse to leave before the fun after dinner activities begin.

Leo turns his attention towards Charlie. He remembers the first time he saw him. He was this young scared kid trying to tell the President were he might find his glasses. Leo smiles at this memory. Leo’s sure that Jed will enlist Charlie in his evil plot, to watch over him. Leo’s aware that Charlie and Margaret have been looking for signs of him drinking again. He really can’t blame them, he’s thought about it a few times these past few months, and so it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

Leo watches Zoey and Charlie. He thinks that Zoey needs to follow her own advice and tell Charlie that she still loves him. He knows that Charlie stills loves her. Leo hopes that somehow they can put their past behind them and find a future together. Leo wonders when he got so ‘touchy feely’ lately, it must be the effect that Margaret has on him. But, he’s willing to suffer these new feelings, if it meant he gets to spend the rest of his life with Margaret.

Leo reaches down and pats Margaret’s hand that has been resting on his leg since he sat down. She’s already asked him twice, if he’s ok.  He knows that she’s worried about him. She’s always worried about him, but now on a new heightened level.
She turns towards him and smiles when he pats her hand. He can’t help but notice that she’s nervous. She’s never been in the Residence before, and what an initiation she’s had.

Margaret gives Leo a look, which he recognizes it right away. He knows she’s thinking of various ways she’s going to make Leo suffer for hiding something from her for months, because he’s still paying for that small disruption he caused her precious filing system years ago. He also knows he’s in for a major lifestyle changes and Margaret will probably come up with numerous memos and rules on that subject. One change he’s definitely looking forward to is, waking up with her in his arms every morning. ‘Damnit’. He needs to stop thinking about this and ‘Margaret needs to stop rubbing her hand on my leg like that’. Leo grabs Margaret’s hand and gives her a look. At first she’s confused, then see follows his eyes down to the front of his pants. She grins at the sight of Leo’s problem, which has arisen again. Leo just shakes his head at her and scoots his chair further under the table. He notices that Abbey is smirking at him. ‘Great, busted’, he thinks.

Leo can’t wait for them to get back to Margaret’s apartment tonight, because they have so much to discuss and he’d like to practice his newly found favorite stress reliever. He’s really going to need it after tonight, since she’s driving him crazy with her hand rubbing his leg. She’s probably just trying to cause a diversion for him, so he won’t worry about having a panic attack.

Leo tries to concentrate on the people around the table and it doesn’t take long for them to squash his problem. He’s sure that everyone is mulling over all the details that have come to light about him, these past few hours. There’s no reason for him to do that, he lived them. He knows that the people around the table have his best interest in mind, but if they don’t stop staring at him soon, he’s going to explode. They don’t deserve his temper, but he wants them to stop it, he needs them to stop. Hopefully, once the food is served they can begin to have a normal dinner. ‘God, I hope Jed starts talking about same inane Christmas fact soon’, Leo says to himself.

Dinner Conversations:

"Mr. President are you ready for us to start serving?" The head steward says, as he enters the room.

Leo breathes a silent ‘Thank God’ under his breath.

"Yes, John, we’re ready." Jed answers. Once the silence is broken, Jed feels it’s time for some Christmas Knowledge to be spread. "Did you know that the first Christmas Dinner that was served in the White House was..."

"Oh, Dad, Please!" Zoey interrupts. "Can’t we get through this meal without Mr. Christmas Trivia rearing his head?" She smirks.

Jed feigns a hurt look. "But, Zoey, I thought you loved to hear about the first dinner that was served here?"

"No Dad, you must be thinking about yourself." Zoey smirks. This last statement of Zoey’s makes Charlie giggle.

"Well, then what can we discuss?" Jed turns his eyes towards Leo. "Leo, where are you and Margaret going to live after you get married, surely not at your hotel?" Jed asks his best friend.

Margaret snorts, "In his dreams", at the hotel comment.

Margaret’s comment brings back some pretty powerful images from his dream about them that he had two nights ago in his hotel, and images from their earlier encounter there this afternoon. It takes him a few seconds to regain his composure. "No Sir, we are not going to live in my hotel. Actually, I’m moving in with Margaret until we can find a place to live."

"Really?" The President squeaks.

"Yes Sir, as of tonight, I will be living at Margaret’s." Leo reaches for Margaret’s hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. He turns towards Margaret whose face appears to have all the color drain from it and then just as quickly, it turns red.

"Leo." She barely gets out. She can’t believe he just told them that. She’s going to die of embarrassment.

"Yeah." He answers her with a huge smile on his face. He loves seeing her blush.

"Well, I think that’s great!" The President tries to come to Margaret’s rescue and let her know that he has no problem with it.

"Thank you, Sir." Leo responds while still holding Margaret’s hand and rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

"Have you guys thought about where you might look for a place?" Abbey enters the conversation.

"No, I only just asked her to marry me this morning." Leo announces.

When the words marry me come out of Leo’s mouth, Margaret instantly relaxes. ‘I’m getting married to Leo’ she thinks to herself. A confident smile graces her lips. "Yes, you did." It flows from her mouth before she can stop it. She blushes at her comment.

"I hope you don’t think I’m trying to interfere..." Abbey starts to say.

"Abigail, why would they ever think that?" Jed interrupts his wife, with his smirk.

"Jethro, present later, remember!" She smirks back.

"Oh yeah, right, um... Abbey, why don’t you inform us of your wonderful idea, Sweetie?" Jed says, as he tries to win back points and salvage his late night Christmas present.

"Well, a friend of mine, Dr. Joan Morgan, and her husband Bill, who just sold his company, are moving back to New England. They have a condo in Kalorama that they just moved out of. I don’t think they have even put it on the market yet. I was there a couple of times, six years ago, before this circus started. It’s very nice and it’s huge. I think it has three bedrooms."

"Oh, Mrs. Bartlet that does sound wonderful, but it’s probably way too expense to afford," answers a thrifty Margaret.

The looks and sounds that are exchanged around the table, after Margaret’s statement, are priceless. But their meanings are totally lost on Margaret and Charlie.

"Leo, she really has no idea does she," the President asks his best friend.

"No Sir, she doesn’t." Leo turns and faces his fiancée. "Margaret I don’t think it will be a problem. Why don’t we let Abbey arrange a time for us to go look at it?"

"Leo. A condo in Kalorama, let alone a three bedroom one, must run... um.. several thousands of dollars. It was just in the paper that Kalorama hosts some of the most desirable address in DC," she squeals.

"Closer to 1.5 Million." Abbey answers. "I think that’s what they’re asking for it. But, that’s really very reasonable for that area."

Margaret goes pale again. "A million and a half!" She shrieks. "Well then, lets buy two of them."

"That’s just a small drop in the bucket for Leo," the President informs her.

"What?" Margaret contemplates, as she turns towards the President and then to Leo.

"Margaret if you like it, we’ll buy it. It won’t be any problem. I have more than enough money for it." Leo tells her.

"Yeah, but will there be anything left to eat on." She smirks.

"Margaret, we can talk about this later." Leo whispers.

Jed's not going to let his friend off that easily. "Margaret, you’ve worked for Leo all these years and you never knew that you were working for a multi-millionaire?"

"What?" Margaret grasps. "Leo, is this true?"

"Yeah." Leo shyly answers.

"Yeah?" She asks again.

"Yeah." He answers again.

"Ok." She responds.

"Ok." He says. Hoping this will be the last he hears about it.

"Ok, you do realize that we’ll be taking about this later tonight. Don’t you?" Margaret asks.

"Yes, Baby. I assumed it would be one of the main topics of conversation tonight," he replies.

"Good then. But, I still say you spend way too much money!" She smirks.

"And I’ll repeat, you can squeeze a nickel better than any ten people I know." Leo smirks.

"Leo!"

"Yes, Baby. I know... that women are always right." Leo can’t help but put in his own jab.

His last comment earns him a not so gentle swat on the arm.

"Ouch, that hurt." Leo whines.

"Serves you right," Margaret replies as everyone around the table bursts out with laughter.

Jed loves seeing his best friend get the same type of treatment he has been, on the receiving end of, for years. He’s so happy for his old friend. Leo deserves this chance to be happy. He has given up so much for this administration. Margaret loves him and has always put Leo’s best interest first. Jed knows that Leo’s going to have to work on her about the fact that she’s just as important in this relationship, as he is. Leo will have his work cut out for him, but Jed thinks he’ll love every minute of it. Just like Leo loves all her quirky notes. He noticed Leo looking at the file earlier this week, Jed couldn’t believe how larger it was now. Yeah, he should have known years ago that Leo loved her.

Abbey is happy to see Margaret willing to act this way in front to her and her husband. She thinks that Margaret’s the perfect match for Leo. She’s so happy for them. She’ll call her friend tomorrow and get them set up to go look at the condo, soon. Abbey’s going to insist to Jed, that he make Leo take some time off work and now Jed can make him even take longer off, since they need to move. There will be plenty to do with the move; of course she knows that Leo will hire a moving service to have everything done. She wonders how Margaret will react to that. She’ll probably say that it’s a waste of money. Abbey truly likes Margaret. She’s one of a kind, with a heart of gold and she knows that she is not after him, for his money.  Not that she would think that anyway but it is nice to know.

Zoey’s so happy for her honorary uncle. She has always known that he has a lot of money. Leo has owned at least a couple of mansions, so she couldn’t believe it when he decided to move into a hotel, instead of buying an expensive condo somewhere. She's sure that he was waiting for Jenny to change her mind, at first. Then, it probably just became to easier for him to live in the hotel. He never was one to think about his own needs. He’s so lucky to find someone as sweet as Margaret and who doesn’t care about his money. They’re going to be a lot of fun to watch from now on. Then a thought hits her, ‘wait a minute, he has all that money and he only got me a pen for graduation’. She’ll have to tease him about that later.

Charlie doesn’t know what to think about all the looks and laughter that’s being exchanged around the table. He’s heard the President on several occasions alluded to Leo’s worth, but he had no idea that it was true or to what degree. Charlie gets a grin on his face when it hits him that a very frugal Margaret, will soon be married to a multi-millionaire. He can’t wait to start teasing her about that.

"Ok, you two, settle down." Jed smirks.

"Yes Sir,’ they answer in unison.

The rest of the meal passes rather quickly. The courses are served and everyone enjoys the food. The President has kept the trivia down to a minimum, which everyone has appreciated. Everyone is just finishing up with dinner when Jed sets his plan into motion.

"Charlie, didn’t you say earlier this afternoon, that you have something that needs my attention before the end of the day?" Jed asks, as he gives Charlie his ‘don’t fail me now look’.

Charlie recognizes the President’s look. "Yes, Sir. I um... need you to sign something that got misplaced and it needs to be signed today, Sir." Charlie turns to Mrs. Bartlet. "I’m sorry Ma’am, this is all my fault."

"Oh, don’t worry about it Charlie, I’m sure Margaret and I can find something to talk about." Abbeys tries to put on a good act, but there is a tell tale sign of a smile growing on her lips.

Leo and Margaret exchange knowing looks. They both knew this was coming. Divide and conquer. But that’s ok. They will play along with them and get it all over with. The sooner they do, the sooner they can get back to her Margaret’s apartment.

"Sir, did you want me to come along with you? I really don’t think that woman talk is exactly, my forte." Leo sarcastically states.

"Leo, that’s a great idea." Jed turns to Charlie. "Charlie, you said you left it on the center of my desk in my private study, right?"

"Yes, Sir." Charlie has a grin, of his own, growing on his lips. "Sir, if you don’t need me, I thought I’ll watch some TV with Zoey, that is, if she wants to."

"Sounds like a good idea, I bet there’s an old Christmas movie on that we could watch," Zoey says.

Zoey and Charlie get up and start to leave the room. Leo stands and follows. "Zoey, may I have a moment please?" Her honorary uncle asks.

"Sure." Zoey replies.

They’re now standing out in the hallway. "Charlie, would you mind waiting for Zoey in the living room? I need to talk to Zoey for a minute. I promise I won’t keep her long." Leo requests.

"No problem, Leo." Charlie turns and heads down the hallway.

"Zoey, I umm... just wanted to thank you for yesterday. You made me realize what I needed to do. You gave me the courage to take a chance," Leo softy says.

"Oh Leo, I’m so happy for you. I’m really glad you found each other. You two are made for each other, I hope that someday, I can find such happiness."

"Zoey, I think if you looked really hard, you might find that it’s not too far away." Leo says, as he glances down the hall towards the living room.

They share a hug. Leo pulls from her arms. "Hey, you never did tell me if you liked your graduation present."

"You mean, ‘the pen’?" Zoey states.

"Yeah, it’s a really good pen." He replies.

"Yes, I’m sure it will come in handy with all the letters that I will write since I’ve decided not to join the twenty first century and boycott email." She smirks.

Leo lets out a small chuckle. He loves his honorary niece so much and is so proud of the woman that she has become. "Yeah, I guess you could use it for that. But, if you looked under the flap of the box, you might find another use for that pen."

Zoey is confused by what Leo’s saying. "Um... ok."

"Zoey, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Uncle Leo." She kisses his cheek and disappears down the hall in search of Charlie.

Leo walks back into the dinning room. Everyone is standing now. "Well, Sir, shall we go to your study so you can sign that very important paper that has to be signed today?" Leo scoffs.

"Yes, lets do that." Jed turns and heads for his study with Leo following closely behind.

"Margaret why don’t we go to the sitting room, since the kids have gone to the living room."  Abbeys suggests.

"Ok, Ma’ am." Margaret nervously replies.

"And Margaret, would you please call me Abbey?"

"I’m not sure I can, Ma’am."

"Well let’s give it a try, ok?"

"Yes Ma’am."

"Margaret!"

"Yes, Ma’am."

"Lets try again."

Margaret nervously bites her bottom lip as she answers, "Yes, um... Abbey."

"See, that’s not so hard. Let’s go get some coffee."

Margaret follows the First Lady out of the room and down the hall to the sitting room.

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

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