FF: The Reluctant President (14/?)
Title: The Reluctant President (14/?)
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day one of the Lyman administration.
Note: If you don't know what Sam means by "I'm not John Alden," you should brush up on your Longfellow. Or just ask me. It's kind of important.
"Are you sure I can't help with anything, Sam?" Donna asked again. Baby Leo and Donna's parents were asleep, so Donna and Sam were sitting companionably in her parents' living room. Donna was trying to concentrate on a book while Sam worked.
"God, I wish. But no."
"He's really that against me working for him?" Donna sounded nervous.
"It's not - it's not that, exactly," Sam said tiredly. "You're not to do anything that could in any way be construed as you working for the administration. This is my rule, not the President's."
Donna looked confused. "But why?"
Sam sighed. "Basically, I'm assuming that anything we do or say may become part of some sort of investigation. Think about it. 'Ms. Moss, did you ever do any work for the administration?' 'Well, I helped Sam Seaborn with some phone calls.' 'And was that before or after you began a romantic relationship with the President?'"
"Oh," Donna said quietly. She looked up at Sam. "You actually said . . ."
"Yes. I did."
"Will he be mad? Now that you said it, what if I made him follow through?"
"He won't be mad," Sam said. "If he'd had his way, I would have said more."
Donna stared at him. "Really?"
"Really."
"You said no to the President?"
"I'm not John Alden."
"Seriously?" Donna breathed.
"Seriously."
"And he means it?"
"He means it."
"Wow."
"So - think about it. Tonight."
"What?" Donna asked.
"I know I said he would settle for your friendship if necessary - and he would - but honestly, I'd rather you not come to Washington if you're just going to break his heart," Sam said bluntly.
Donna was quiet for a moment. "I won't break his heart," she said finally. "What about Leo?"
"What about him?"
"Is the President freaked out about him?"
"It didn't sound like it."
"Huh."
"I'd better call Toby."
Donna nodded and returned to her book.
"Hello?"
"Toby, it's Sam."
"I was wondering when you'd call."
"The President called you, right?" Sam asked.
"Yes. I'm on my way."
"Are you driving?"
"No, Andy is."
"All right. I just wanted to check in and make sure you're okay with everything . . ."
"This isn't exactly the time for any of my personal feelings to get in the way," Toby pointed out.
"But we need to be able to work together now, more than ever. Is there anything we need to talk about?"
Toby paused for a split second. "No. There isn't. We're fine, Sam."
"All right. I told Will to start working on the speech for tomorrow, but I need you."
"I'll be there in the morning. I'll find Will when I get in."
"Good. Thanks. We have to do really well here, Toby."
"I know."
"This is basically his inaugural address AND the first speech of his campaign."
"I KNOW, Sam."
"You know what our main problem is going to be here, right?"
"Yes." Toby paused. "He's never been elected to anything."
"He's never been elected to anything," Sam repeated.
Author: caitrin
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
Genre: AU, romance, drama, mystery
Feedback: Much appreciated.
Timeline: Day one of the Lyman administration.
Note: If you don't know what Sam means by "I'm not John Alden," you should brush up on your Longfellow. Or just ask me. It's kind of important.
"Are you sure I can't help with anything, Sam?" Donna asked again. Baby Leo and Donna's parents were asleep, so Donna and Sam were sitting companionably in her parents' living room. Donna was trying to concentrate on a book while Sam worked.
"God, I wish. But no."
"He's really that against me working for him?" Donna sounded nervous.
"It's not - it's not that, exactly," Sam said tiredly. "You're not to do anything that could in any way be construed as you working for the administration. This is my rule, not the President's."
Donna looked confused. "But why?"
Sam sighed. "Basically, I'm assuming that anything we do or say may become part of some sort of investigation. Think about it. 'Ms. Moss, did you ever do any work for the administration?' 'Well, I helped Sam Seaborn with some phone calls.' 'And was that before or after you began a romantic relationship with the President?'"
"Oh," Donna said quietly. She looked up at Sam. "You actually said . . ."
"Yes. I did."
"Will he be mad? Now that you said it, what if I made him follow through?"
"He won't be mad," Sam said. "If he'd had his way, I would have said more."
Donna stared at him. "Really?"
"Really."
"You said no to the President?"
"I'm not John Alden."
"Seriously?" Donna breathed.
"Seriously."
"And he means it?"
"He means it."
"Wow."
"So - think about it. Tonight."
"What?" Donna asked.
"I know I said he would settle for your friendship if necessary - and he would - but honestly, I'd rather you not come to Washington if you're just going to break his heart," Sam said bluntly.
Donna was quiet for a moment. "I won't break his heart," she said finally. "What about Leo?"
"What about him?"
"Is the President freaked out about him?"
"It didn't sound like it."
"Huh."
"I'd better call Toby."
Donna nodded and returned to her book.
"Hello?"
"Toby, it's Sam."
"I was wondering when you'd call."
"The President called you, right?" Sam asked.
"Yes. I'm on my way."
"Are you driving?"
"No, Andy is."
"All right. I just wanted to check in and make sure you're okay with everything . . ."
"This isn't exactly the time for any of my personal feelings to get in the way," Toby pointed out.
"But we need to be able to work together now, more than ever. Is there anything we need to talk about?"
Toby paused for a split second. "No. There isn't. We're fine, Sam."
"All right. I told Will to start working on the speech for tomorrow, but I need you."
"I'll be there in the morning. I'll find Will when I get in."
"Good. Thanks. We have to do really well here, Toby."
"I know."
"This is basically his inaugural address AND the first speech of his campaign."
"I KNOW, Sam."
"You know what our main problem is going to be here, right?"
"Yes." Toby paused. "He's never been elected to anything."
"He's never been elected to anything," Sam repeated.