Fic: Blame It On The Muffins
Title: Blame It On The Muffins
Characters: Ainsley, Sam, Josh, mention of Leo
Rating: G
Word Count: 512
Summary: She owes a great deal to this man.
Disclaimer: Not mine. I only play for fun.
Author's Note: Originally written for the Awesome Ladies Ficathon, for the prompt: "TWW, Ainsley Hayes, Big Block of Cheese"
---/
The muffin is her downfall.
Just to be clear.
Also it’s a Tuesday.
Unlike the popular misfortune of others and The Bangles, Mondays are never bad for her, Tuesdays being her usually bad luck day.
Mostly it’s the muffin though.
---
She’s on her way from the Oval Office after a successful morning chat; successful because this President doesn’t create embarrassing moments for her. Tall heels clack against the floor, head held high, her long hair fanning out in triumph. She rounds the corner into a warm body.
“Sam,” she says to the three backwards monogrammed letters. He still hasn’t gotten the hang of those initials. “Good morning.”
He draws back, hand cupped around her elbow. “Is it?”
She frowns. “It’s not?”
“It’s Tuesday.”
Her left eyebrow rises. “Yes, Sam, it’s Tuesday. The day that follows Monday and usually proceeds Wednesday.” They sidestep around a frazzled young woman and resume talking while walking.
He makes a humming noise in the back of his throat, blue eyes bright behind his glasses. “Ahh, but it’s not just any Tuesday. It’s Total Crackpot Day.”
She’s not really paying attention to where he’s leading her, too busy trying to place what he’s said. This is how she finds herself in the Roosevelt Room, seated at the table. They’re not alone. There’s Lou, Bram, Otto, and others littered around the room. She’s just about to ask Sam what’s going on when the door opens.
Josh strides in, smile in place, Margaret at his side with a tall stack of folders in her arms. He stands at the head of the long table and speaks, “Andrea Jackson in the main foyer of the White House had a big block of cheese-”
It clicks into place as he continues on, and she feels bad for not immediately remembering. He’d been the man who’d extended her the chance to work here the first time around. Been the first to welcome her, to forgive her for the horrible things she’d written about him, given her the basement office with the screaming pipes.
The Chief of Staff finishes his speech and Margaret passes around the folders.
She flips hers open, wondering why she even has one. Turning to the right, she voices this to Sam.
“Because it’s Big Block Of Cheese Day.”
“But I’m the White House Counsel, see, and that means, technically speaking, I don’t have to do this.”
Reaching forward, he tugs the plate in front of them closer. “I’ll let you have this muffin.”
It’s the only baked good left, blueberries large and crystal sugar sprinkled liberally on top. She smiles, “I could have it anyway.”
Dark blue eyes blink and his lips pull up in response. “Yes, well…”
She owes a lot to the former man, not the former President, behind this day. Besides, it’s too early in their administration to have required her full legal expertise for any mess-ups.
She splits the muffin with Sam.
---
So, it’s not just the muffin.
Leo McGarry has a big part in it.
And a big block of cheese.
Characters: Ainsley, Sam, Josh, mention of Leo
Rating: G
Word Count: 512
Summary: She owes a great deal to this man.
Disclaimer: Not mine. I only play for fun.
Author's Note: Originally written for the Awesome Ladies Ficathon, for the prompt: "TWW, Ainsley Hayes, Big Block of Cheese"
---/
The muffin is her downfall.
Just to be clear.
Also it’s a Tuesday.
Unlike the popular misfortune of others and The Bangles, Mondays are never bad for her, Tuesdays being her usually bad luck day.
Mostly it’s the muffin though.
---
She’s on her way from the Oval Office after a successful morning chat; successful because this President doesn’t create embarrassing moments for her. Tall heels clack against the floor, head held high, her long hair fanning out in triumph. She rounds the corner into a warm body.
“Sam,” she says to the three backwards monogrammed letters. He still hasn’t gotten the hang of those initials. “Good morning.”
He draws back, hand cupped around her elbow. “Is it?”
She frowns. “It’s not?”
“It’s Tuesday.”
Her left eyebrow rises. “Yes, Sam, it’s Tuesday. The day that follows Monday and usually proceeds Wednesday.” They sidestep around a frazzled young woman and resume talking while walking.
He makes a humming noise in the back of his throat, blue eyes bright behind his glasses. “Ahh, but it’s not just any Tuesday. It’s Total Crackpot Day.”
She’s not really paying attention to where he’s leading her, too busy trying to place what he’s said. This is how she finds herself in the Roosevelt Room, seated at the table. They’re not alone. There’s Lou, Bram, Otto, and others littered around the room. She’s just about to ask Sam what’s going on when the door opens.
Josh strides in, smile in place, Margaret at his side with a tall stack of folders in her arms. He stands at the head of the long table and speaks, “Andrea Jackson in the main foyer of the White House had a big block of cheese-”
It clicks into place as he continues on, and she feels bad for not immediately remembering. He’d been the man who’d extended her the chance to work here the first time around. Been the first to welcome her, to forgive her for the horrible things she’d written about him, given her the basement office with the screaming pipes.
The Chief of Staff finishes his speech and Margaret passes around the folders.
She flips hers open, wondering why she even has one. Turning to the right, she voices this to Sam.
“Because it’s Big Block Of Cheese Day.”
“But I’m the White House Counsel, see, and that means, technically speaking, I don’t have to do this.”
Reaching forward, he tugs the plate in front of them closer. “I’ll let you have this muffin.”
It’s the only baked good left, blueberries large and crystal sugar sprinkled liberally on top. She smiles, “I could have it anyway.”
Dark blue eyes blink and his lips pull up in response. “Yes, well…”
She owes a lot to the former man, not the former President, behind this day. Besides, it’s too early in their administration to have required her full legal expertise for any mess-ups.
She splits the muffin with Sam.
---
So, it’s not just the muffin.
Leo McGarry has a big part in it.
And a big block of cheese.