This is Me Trying - A Designated Survivor Continuation (2021)

Chapter 4 - Emily

Emily steps out into the cold night, leaving Isabel to get some sleep after comforting her, and walks home as fast as her feet will carry her.

She steps into her condo, sets her things down, and immediately pours herself a glass of wine, and turns on the TV. Every channel was broadcasting Kirkman's victory, and she wanted absolutely nothing to do with it.

She shuts off the TV and closes her eyes.

It's been two days since her mom died, she was still under investigation at the FBI for reporting Lorraine's unethical behaviors, she had no job, and she certainly didn't have a shoulder to cry on about all of this.

Tears well up in her eyes, as she sits in the same room that she fed her dear mother her "go-pack." Those moments of her mother suffering from the deadly concoction she had just drank, calling 911, and watching the doctors stop resuscitation because her mother had signed an DNR, and having them pronounce her death in front of a hysterical Emily broke her heart, as she downed her wine, laid down on the couch sobbing, till she fell asleep.

—

The next day, Emily woke up and out of habit, picked up her phone.

12:23 P.M.

She hadn't slept in over two days, and she definitely couldn't remember the last time she slept for more than eight hours in one night. She looks down at her notifications, and felt instantly overwhelmed.

She had unread messages from Isabel, Seth, Aaron, and a few missed calls from a number she didn't recognize. She sits up, sets her phone back on the coffee table, ignoring all her notifications, and slowly waddled to her kitchen for a cup of coffee and some food.

She opens up her fridge to find an expired carton of eggs, and some fruits that were starting to grow fur.

Great, she thought to herself.

She finishes her coffee, and drags herself into the shower. A hot shower was her only motivation to finally check the messages that were waiting for her on her phone.

The first few texts were from Aaron and Seth, asking again where she was, if she was okay, and why she didn't make it to the President's victory gathering. Isabel had texted her to thank her for last night, and said she had made an appointment for the OBGYN for later that day. She quickly checked her voicemail, and the first one was from Kirkman,

"Emily, I hope to see you here at the Residence for a little celebration. I know you and I have a lot to discuss, but I hope for tonight, we can push it aside and just celebrate, after the last few months, you deserve it."

It must have been from last night, after she knocked out.

The other message started playing,

"Good morning, Ms. Rhodes, this is Agent Blackwell calling, the Bureau would like to verify a few things with you, so if you could come in as soon as you get this message, it would be great. We appreciate your cooperation with this investigation."

Emily looks down at the time stamp of the voicemail, 10:25 A.M.

Shit, that was almost three hours ago.

She rushes into her room, quickly gets ready, and makes her drive to the FBI Headquarters.