FF:The Winner Takes it All
Please excuse spelling/grammer mistakes, I'm having serious tech issues.
Oh and ignore the fact that it doesn't really make any sense for Pillner to read the results from an envelope on stage? But it was more dramatic so..
Last thing, this isn't terribly well written, I just wanted the idea out of my head and on paper. I may be re-drafting it so it actually resembles an alright fic.
OK, done with excuses...enjoy!
“And our new city counsel member is....” Councilman Pillner announced from the podium in the middle of the stage as he, at a painfully slow pace opened the envelope and read the name.
The entire town seemed to be there, everyone wanted to see the drama of a new City Counsel member, live and in person. Even though it would be broadcast on the news later that night. Leslie's teeth clenched, her heart thudded. She held her breath and gripped Ben's hand. Ann gave her a thumbs up and Ron winked. Leslie was still looking at them when Councilman Pillner called out “Bobby Newport!” Cheers erupted from the crowd. As well as a few boo's from team Knope. Time slowed down for Leslie. Her eyes widened in disbelief and disappointment and she momentarily swayed on her feet before regaining her dignity. She met Ben's eyes before her vision blurred with tears. But Leslie Knope was not a crier. His mouth was an O of shock. It was unthinkable. How could this have happened? She turned back towards the stage and pasted on a smile for the TV cameras that were surely there. She made her way forwards as if she was walking in water. Leslie Knope was not a crier. Was. Not. A. Crier. “Congratulations, Bobby!” Pillner grinned and pumped Bobby's hand “My condolences, Leslie. Now shake each others hands like good sports.” Leslie turned to Bobby's glowing face, she held out her hand “See, Linda, I told you I would win! Good try though!” Leslie fought the urge to break his fingers as she firmly shook his hand. “Congrats” she smiled without showing her teeth, not bothering to correct him on her name. Pillner turned towards the audience “We are going to take a quick break and we'll be back with the speeches!”
The break would be at least 20 minutes long and Bobby would give his acceptance speech first, which gave her about 40 minutes to spare. Leslie calmly and cooly exited the stage and stumbled into Ann's arms “Lez, I'm so sorry. Are you ok?” Leslie's eye's threatened to betray her again and she felt the pinpricks of tears but she shoved them away as more of her friends and family crowded around. She swallowed hard “Oh, beautiful Ann you sweet siamese cat, I'll be fine” she said in what she hoped was a jolly tone (her voice only cracked once) and hugged her best friend back. Ann pulled away and looked at her quizzically, Ann could always tell when Leslie was upset. And why shouldn't she be? But before she could say anything Leslie had moved on and was standing near Ron “You did good Knope. That Newport kid...is..an idiot.” he said gruffly. And gave her an awkward one armed hug. Leslie fought the urge to cry agin. Andy ran up crushed Leslie in a bear hug and even April gave Leslie a quick, but sincere squeeze, before rolling her eyes and walking quickly away. Leslie walked over to Ben last “Hey” he said softly pulling her in for a hug. “Ben..” Leslie looked up pleadingly. And Ben knew, Ben always knew. He took her hand and deftly steered her away from the crowd of friends and reporters. They were almost ambushed by Perd Hapley but Andy kept him at bay “Excuse me, sir. I am Kip Hackmen, Ms. Knope's head of security and I'm afraid you can't come through at this time.” All the while holding his hand to his ear, as if listening to instructions through an ear piece. Leslie watched him and almost laughed. Almost. Ann pushed through the crowd and caught sight of Leslie holding Ben's hand, looking desperate. And Ann understood too. Normally, she would go after Leslie but she trusted Ben to take good care of her girl.
Ben continued pulling Leslie along, until they reached a small door in a dim hallway. He had staked it out earlier. Just in case..well when he had staked it out it had been in case they needed somewhere to, um..celebrate, privately. But it would do for this purpose as well. Ben shoved open the heavy door with little effort. Normally Leslie would have thought that incredibly attractive, the way he pushed the door open like a strong elven king. But not today. Not today. It opened into a fairly large but dimly lit coat closet, Ben held the door open for Leslie before shutting it firmly behind them. He turned around to face her and he was about to speak when- “Ben...I-I-I...lost?” she said shakily, almost like a question. “Oh, Leslie..” he started and then her lip started to quaver and her eyes filled. The brick wall that was Leslie Knope was crumbling, and Ben had no idea how to fix it. Then suddenly her knee's gave out and she came crashing towards the tile floor. Ben instinctually lunged out to catch her. Not because the fall would have hurt her, but because he knew she needed him, and if Leslie went down, literally or metaphorically, Ben Wyatt was going with her. He grabbed her inches before the floor, one arm going securely around the small of her back, and one under her knees. Balancing on one leg with Leslie in his arms he tried to regain his balance. He quickly lost that battle and they both tumbled down ending up with Ben's back pressed up against the wall and Leslie on his lap, with her hands holding his white dress shirt in a death grip and her head buried in his chest. Then sitting in her boyfriends lap in a business suit, surrounded by coats without warning (although Leslie Knope was NOT a crier) she started to cry.
For a moment, Ben was in shock, he had never seen Leslie cry. Not like this. He'd seen her get teary at sad movies, and Little Sebastian's funeral and that time in the Smallest Park. But other than that... Leslie didn't cry. His first instinct was that she was hurt, he thought maybe him losing his balance and landing on his ass had hurt her somehow. But she didn't seem to be in any pain. At least not physically.
Leslie was in shock too, she didn't think she had ever cried like this. But it had just burst out of her like the Hoover Dam had broken. And now she couldn't seem to stop. She cried because she couldn't believe she lost, she cried because she had never worked so hard for anything in her life and failed, she cried because her friends had all believed in her and she'd let them down, and she cried because she had missed Ben. Being her campaign manager had made him distant and she had missed when he was just Ben and she was just Leslie not Campaign Manager and candidate.
Ben just sat there even as his legs fell asleep under her weight he rubbed her back and stroked her hair. And tried his best to be comforting and ended up just letting out a strings of expletives with some apoligies thrown in; “Shit, Leslie. Fuck,I'm sorry. I'm so sorry”. But mostly prayed to God he was helping because the intensity of the sobs that racked her petite frame were terrifying him and because every time she cried he died a little and all he wanted was to put Leslie back together again, even when all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn't.
One of the things Leslie loved about Ben (although there were, many, many things) was that he always seemed to know what to do. He never had to ask if she was alright, he knew. And he seemed to sense right now, that telling her every thing was okay wasn't what she wanted to hear. Because things were most definitely not okay.
After what seemed like eternity, Leslie's breathing slowed and the sobs quieted. Ben breathed a sigh of relief. After a few more moments Leslie brought her head up and looked at Ben surprised and touched by the expression of worry and pain on his face. Had she scared him? “I'm fine. I'm okay. ” she said quietly almost more for her benefit then his, before quickly looking down to smooth her skirt. She was embarrassed by her sudden revert to such a child like state. Adults didn't break down and collapse and then sob uncontrollably. At least not most adults. “Hey” Ben said softly, gently cupping her face and bringing her head up towards him “You are not okay. But thats okay, because you don't have to be okay yet. Not after what you've been through. Okay?” he said. Gently wiping away a run-away tear with his thumb. Leslie nodded, and half-smiled at her dorky boyfriend, who always knew what to say. Even if it involved using “okay” way too many times to be grammatically correct “I love you way too much, Benjamin.” Leslie whispered. Ben grinned at her and pulled her in for a kiss. “I love you too, Leslie. I love you too.”
Ben slung his arm around Leslie's shoulders and pulled her close as they walked back towards the stage. If anyone noticed the huge wet stains on Ben's shirt or Leslie's bleary red eyes. They didn't say anything.
“You're gonna do great.” Ben said, kissing Leslie quickly as Pillner called her up to the stage.
“I hope so.” She said quietly. She still wasn't completely back to normal and Ben frowned.
“You will”
She gave him a small smile and blew him a kiss as she went up the steps onto the stage. Her eyes still red, her step with considerably less spring than usual.
“Hey, is she okay? I mean really?” Ann asked, sidling up to Ben as Leslie cleared her throat at the podium.
“Hello, Pawnee. I'm Leslie Knope. I would like to congratulate Bobby Newport on getting the City Council spot and even though you all voted for him and not me.. I still love this town.” Leslie poke confidently from the podium. Her face breaking out in a smile that made Ben's knee's weak.
“Yeah, yeah I think she is.” Ben answered, never taking his eyes of Leslie.
And he knew she was. Because she was Leslie Fucking Knope. And because Ben always knew.