#teamhillary

This is a transitional chapter before we ramp it up here folks.  There will be a lot of historical dialog in the next few chapters and it will be a lot to take in so I wanted to fluff so to speak before it gets to heavy.  I hope you enjoy.

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Tuesday, January 19th, 1993 the day before his Inauguration as the 42nd President of the United States, and Washington, D.C. was a buzz, the anticipation was palpable.  The start of a new young administration lead by the 3rd youngest (46) man to to step foot in the Oval office as Commander in Chief, 2nd was John F. Kennedy (43) and 1st was Theodore Roosevelt (42).  Kennedy and Jackie's dynasty was known as Camelot and for Bill and Hillary they were known as proud Lions.  So many similarities had been drawn to two men, having met each other only briefing when Bill a member of Boys Nation visiting the White House on July 24th, 1963, but for Bill it was one the most amazing points in his life, to shake the head of his idol... the President.  Jackie and Hillary drew similarities as well, both young, strong women married to charismatic men with a deep abiding love to do great things for their country.  Another comparison that was drawn was they would both be pregnant while First Lady, however Jackie's ended with much sorrow as after only a few weeks their little boy would not survive being born pre-mature. Many young people who would come of age under the two terms of William Jefferson Clinton would say that Bill and Hillary were their generations JFK and Jackie.

Hillary was concerned about that night's festivities, they had a concert to attend and she didn't want to be in the heels she picked out for too long.  Her ankles were getting a little larger which is why her Inauguration gown would cover them completely.  She wasn't self conscience with how she looked, her belly getting bigger by the day and she was glowing.  She just wanted to make sure she was taking good care of herself, this boy though was not making it easy on her.  He didn't like her sleeping longer than about 5 and half hours before he would wiggle and jolt her awake, Bill would wake up every time she moved in the slightest.  "It's ok honey, he is apparently done sleeping."  He would smile at her glowing face and kiss her belly where his son was growing in what seemed like rapidness.  He couldn't believe how big she was getting but he loved it, as trite as it sounded coming from a man but she was even more beautiful pregnant, her cheeks were more rosy, her eyes sparkled a little more and there is something to be said for watching the love and light of your life carry your child so gentle, even though her back was beginning to kill her. Her red dress for the concert accentuated her hips and her belly as well and as soon as people saw her enter the area with Bill on her one arm and Chelsea on the other the crowd roared.  The woman would be the First Lady tomorrow at noon and here she was glowing and pregnant, and it gave the people more to be excited about with this new administration.  Taking their seats with Al and Tipper to their right the amazing concert began, and all the stars wanted to play for the new young democrat lion, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, all his favorite jazz artists and many celebrities showed up to welcome the new couple.  When Michael Jackson sang about a young friend of his who died of AIDS, Hillary was so moved she was sobbing, her hormones playing no roll she was genuinely moved.  Bill was sitting their so proud and just basking in the whole night but what he didn't tell Hillary was he had a surprise for her.  

When Bill won the Democratic Nomination they were then given their secret service code names and as protocol everyone in the family gets a name but the letters all have to be the same.  Bill chose the letter E, and they gave him Eagle, Chelsea was Energy because she was so full of it all the time, Hillary's was special and chosen specifically by Bill, Evergreen.  It was his favorite Barbra Streisand song because every time he heard it he thought of Hillary.  Well when Barbra came on stage she sang a few songs for Bill and then she spoke about how he had wanted her to sing his favorite song when they were at her home for a fund raiser during the General campaign, she didn't sing it that night but promised him she would sing it for his Inauguration.  So he called Barbra about two days before to ask her to address it to Hillary and really surprise her.  As Barbra told the story on stage Bill took her hand in his and leaned over to kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear, "I love you much my girl."  She smiled as she took in his eyes and then turned back to Barbra as she addressed Hillary.  "Mrs. Clinton, the President-Elect wanted to dedicate this special song simply for you.  He is so proud of you and so in love with you.  And I have to say... we are damn proud to have you as our new First Lady as well.  This is for you both."  With that Barbra throws a kiss toward Hillary.  Bill never broke his contact with her right hand and she even placed her other hand on top of theirs because she was so overcome with love and emotion that her husband would do something this amazing for her even though this was all about him.

Upon entering Blair House after the night's fun was done, Hillary slipped off her shoes and was ready to take Chelsea to her bedroom to get her ready for bed.  Bill saw her so exhausted put his hands on her shoulders and begin to massage her, without hesitation she leaned back her head on his chest and shut her eyes.  "Baby, you sit down and rest your feet, I will get Chelsea ready for bed."  All she could do was smile, here is her husband about to become the most powerful man in the world and he must be a ball of nerves but for the past month he has been so sweet, caring and making sure he helps Chelsea at night so she can get more rest.  It warmed her heart, it was a little thing he was doing, but she loved the little things about him.  How when he would stare deep into her eyes his jaw would always clinch, how when he gets excited or passionate in a speech a vein will pop out of the left side of his neck, how the back of his hands showed his strength and veins, his wrist elegant but manly, the way his glasses would rest on the tip of his nose when he was reading but looked up to see her, or how before she was pregnant his hands around her waist would fit all the way around.  It was always the little things, the things that people didn't noticed but she always did.  The things that made her fall even more in love with him by the minute.  She was a strong, independent woman no doubt but she was different with him in private, sometimes being what some would call subservient in a way.  He is the only man who has ever made her knees weak and would be the only person who she would let see her without her shield to protect her.  This man, this beautiful man that all those years ago saw her as she is not what he wanted her to be, this beautiful man who wasn't scared of her smarts, wit, and power.  In fact just the opposite, that drew him closer.  Of course he was attracted to her beauty, her eyes behind those big glasses that he actually really loved, she never let people get as close as he was allowed to get, even on their first date walking through the Art Museum she opened herself up to him in a way that surprised even herself.

He would be the only one that had her heart until their beautiful baby girl was born 5 years after they married.  Bill never judged her like many have about her looks, about not taking his name at first, being to aggressive or too intelligent.  He loved her because of those things, her fierce independence... not taking his name never bothered him.  It bothered his mother of course, but then again almost everything about Hillary annoyed her.  He knew why she didn't want to take his name, she wanted to fail or rise on her own merits not on the back of his name, plus what did it matter really?  She would come home to him every night and lie beside him in their bed so for him it was never an issue.  That all changed after Bill lost his re-election for Governor and then ran again, she decided that it was time and she never wanted to be the reason he failed at anything.  Bill tried to explain to her that it wasn't her fault, but he couldn't always protect her from the articles about his 'unconventional wife'.   She had developed a pretty thick skin over the years at least on the surface when people were watching but what no one would ever see was how it would affect her in the soundless darkness alone with her thoughts.  When all the hurtful words would hit her right in the heart not so much about her looks, people have their own tastes she would tell herself.  No, it was the stories during the campaign about their marriage being what one paper called 'A Marriage of Convenience that she was only with Bill to further her own ambitions.  She had left a campaign party early to head back to their hotel room, she didn't tell Bill, the article in her purse and she went into the bathroom shut the door and reread the articles headline and the article over and over again.  She turned the light off and she curled into a ball leaning against the wall crying uncontrollably, and the cold bathroom tile providing her some strange comfort.  Bill when he realized she was gone was a nervous wreck, he finally found out she went back to the hotel and went to her right away.  When he stepped into the room only one light was on but he didn't see her at all, his heartbeat was thumping in his ears from running down the hallway and then it broke the sound in his ears.  That faint sobbing he had heard before, when she lost their baby, when she overheard his mother one night tell him he made a huge mistake in marrying her... his heart sank in his chest.  He slowly opened the bathroom door the hallway light illuminated her on the floor and he rushed to her.

She never questioned his love for her and he never questioned her love for him.  They knew their truth and that would get them through anything that would be thrown at them.  From the moment he almost reached out to touch her shoulder that one day leaving class and he pulled back stopping himself because he knew once he started with her he wasn't going to be able to stop.  From the moment she put that book down and walked the entire length of the law library while he stared at her hips, shoulders, lips and the way her hair bounced as she walked with confidence towards him.  From the moment she finally said 'Yes' to his 3rd marriage proposal and a week later she was finally his wife.  From the moment he took her away to Bermuda to get her worrying mind to relax after they still hadn't gotten pregnant and then 6 weeks after they got home they were given the news that it had finally happened.  From the moment she helped him come out of his funk after losing his re-election campaign for Governor and sprung into action changing who she was to help him.  No matter what she was his rock, his driving force, his biggest cheerleader and he couldn't get the articles to stop.  No matter how hard he tried.  In those moments he couldn't protect her when the words would rip through her soul.

Bill comes back downstairs to get her and take her to bed, tomorrow is going to be a extremely long day.  Church, Inauguration, Congressional lunch, Parade and then the 11 balls... he had already agreed to the 11 balls before he knew she was pregnant so he wanted to make sure she was well rested.  A gentle hand lands on her shoulder and rubs it, "Sweetheart."  A soft southern draw washes over her, and she tilts her back and peeks open on eye to see him standing there looking so handsome.  "Hmmm."  Bill just smiles down at her, "Let me get you in bed my love, we have a busy day tomorrow and you are going to need all the rest you can get."  he comes around the couch and lifts her up and guides her up the stairs and into the bedroom, he helps her get undressed and slips her into her nightgown that now accounts for her growing stomach.  He slowly lowers her into bed and kisses her forehead then moves his way to her belly kisses it and whispers to his growing son, "Listen son, do your dad a favor.  Let your mamma rest tonight, she is really going to need all her strength for tomorrow.  I love you both.  Goodnight my boy."  He looks up at Hillary and with a smile on her face she is fast asleep, he pulls the covers over her and gets his tux off and hangs up her dress.  He then looks at her asleep and heads into the washroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, he looks at himself in the mirror and takes a deep breath.  "Are you ready Bill?"  

Laying the towel on the sink he comes out of the washroom and climbs in bed next to Hillary, he laid on his side for a few minutes watching her sleep so tranquil and then he drifted off.  In less that 9 hours he will become the most powerful man in the world.

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