Annabeth forced a smile at the Secret Service man guarding Leo's room. Part of her was offended, not like he still needed the protection; the other grateful that people weren't walking in and out of his private space. She softly said; "Why don't you go take a break, Scott, I'd really like to be alone, please." He opened the door for her and closed it behind her. She heard soft steps down the hallway and took a deep breath.
Turning, she looked at the clothes strewn on the bed and his dinner plate still on the table. A rush of emotion took over and she felt tears pressing their way down her cheeks again. She let them fall, taking comfort in the smell of his shirt. She lifted the light material to her face and took in the smell of his perfume. Sitting down, she allowed herself to sob as she realized the emptiness she was about to face.
She breathed deeply, memories flooding through her mind of arguments they'd had, moments where he'd been weak, moments where he'd been strong and moments where he had taken her by surprise. Like that day a few weeks earlier when he'd asked if she really meant there was tension between them and what he could do to make her think otherwise. When she'd stuttered and tried to come up with a response, he'd simply pulled her close and looked into her eyes. "What tension?" He'd said, a smirk firmly upon his lips.
She remembered the way he'd looked at her lovingly as she left his room earlier that day after sharing breakfast. "Just a few more days, sunshine." Just a few more days. Except there were no more days, there was only the empty promise of tomorrow. Tomorrows without him.
He made no promises and neither did she, but they both had clear intentions to share more than secret rendezvous' under the cover of preparing for the next day.
There were moments they never spoke about, that regarded everything except the presidential election they were in the midst of, and moments of tenderness that showed the side of Leo McGarry few ever had the pleasure of knowing. Annabeth had spent hours trying to convince him she could take the scrutiny their relationship would bring, should it become just that. Now it seemed like wasted time. Time wasted that could have been spent in silence with a man she'd never known she'd been waiting for. Time that could have been spent resting her head on his shoulder as he read through the latest data, or watching a movie to wind down after a hectic day.
She looked towards the bathroom, painful memories of finding his body lifeless on the ground taking over her body. She left his shirt on the bed and took the same careful steps she'd taken just hours earlier.
She paused, the moment so vivid yet so far away in her mind. She walked back out, shutting the door and sat down on the bed again, her breath heavy. She held her breath when the door opened and without seeing his face, she spoke.
"I just need to say goodbye. I … respected … Leo so much."
She held her breath, waiting for him to respond. He looked around, tears welling in his eyes as they came to rest on her. He walked towards her and sat down on the best next to her.
Finding themselves together in the silence, Annabeth dried her eyes to make room for new tears. She let her head fall down and sobbed openly. He took hold of her hand, wrapping it in his and took deep breaths as he listened to her cry for the man she'd lost. The man they'd both lost.
He'd never realized the intensity with which his surrogate father and the woman beside him had looked at each other, fought with each other. In this moment of emptiness and grief, he felt grateful that Leo had someone who loved him as he drew his last breath. He held onto her hand and knew that without speaking even a word, she understood the pain and helplessness all too well.