Grace of Olympus

Chapter Nine - Love between two people

"Ben, there are some people i want you meet." he nodded and finished with them before taking my hand as I escorted them over to my former platoon. "Mike you fall in line too." He joined us

"Attention!" out of  instinct then fell in line and stood to attention. I chuckled a little. "Ben these are some of the men Mike and I served with overseas. Say Hello, boys."

"Mr Preseident, sir." 

"This is my former Captain Jacob James, one of the very few people to keep me in line." I introduced him

"Sir." JJ saluted

"Captain." Ben nodded to them.

"Then there is Matthew, Christopher, Jason, Alexander, Saxon, Michael, Jonathan, Paul and Ross." I  went down the line of those who attended.

"Mr President." the nodded their head to him and Ben shook each of their hands

"It is nice to meet you all, but I've known Grace long enough to know that she doesn't really address you by such names." I start to laugh.

"You would be right. Fingers, Haribo, Eggsy, Paris, Triple X, Creeper, Master, Jughead, Nono, Hoodie and, Cinderella." I called them by their respective nicknames "Each nickname has a extremely interesting story. However I owe these men my lives. Believe or not these guys have gotten crazy carter out of a few scrapes."

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The rest of the wedding went of without a hitch and we have a week booked out away from Presidential duties. Then it was time to take up the mantle that had been vacant and could not even be fully filled by me. That of the Second first, Lady duties. It came with a protection detail of my own, a code name of Lioness.

I knew I wouldn't be a first lady long as  Ben's second term would be over in a couple of years. But I was determined to do Maggie proud, she had been one of my friends if mainly my principle. But i wanted to do her proud while not being in her shadow. However things became even more tricky when about a month after the wedding did I find out that I was pregnant with my first child.

"I can't handle this, this is insane, Mike." I vented pacing back and forth in the office of the first lady. I was in my second trimester showing and having a mental break down.

"I can't do this, how can I do this? I'm way out of my depth here."

"You always say that and you always come through." he assured me "You always say that we can get way to comfortable in what we're doing, best to shake things up." I stopped pacing.

"When have I ever said that? I've never said that. I like knowing what going on, being in some sort of control. You give me an enemy target and a mission, it's second nature, this is not. I'm no first lady or mother. I'm a soldier, I have been for a better part of my life."  just then Ben walked in.

"Everything okay? I was told you were having a rough time."

"She's have a minor meltdown, sir. Nothing out of the normal." Mike assured with a small smirk.

"I will throw my shoe at your head, Mike. This isn't funny. I'm fine, Ben just walking through some things with my best friend, questionable on the best." I calmed myself down "See all better."

"Will that be all, Ma'am."

"Oh do one, you irritating bastard." Mike nodded and left us alone. Ben came over and took my arms.

"Talk to me."

"I'm just struggling a little, okay? I'm a soldier, a protector. I wasn't taught how to be this. To be honest with they dangerous stuff i've done and situations I was put into, I never expected to marry or to have kids." I sat down "Ben, I've done stuff that is even classified to you. I've lost count how many times I thought that I was done for, that I eventually, shut myself off to all of this." I pointed in-between us.

"It's overwhelming, In a few short years everything has changed for the both of us. At first I didn't notice it, but now it's like as soon as we started dating everything went from zero to a thousand."

"Grace."

"Mr President, sir. The British prime minister has arrived." We were interrupted

"Can't it wait?" Ben looked back to Mike

"It's fine, you go. I promised I would spend time with Conner." He looked conflicted "Seriously, go. Be President." I shoed him out of the office and with reluctance and hesitation he left.

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Elizabeth Marie Asher was a child born in the White House quite literally, she surprised me, in true Carter fashion. I had no idea that I was in actually labour and by the time I realised, I was too far along and gave birth at home. Everyone of her family adored her and she defiantly stole the hearts of her father and brother.