Final Curve
Title: Final Curve - part 5
Fandom: political animals
Pairing: Elaine/Susan
Rating: pg-13
Summary: Elaine is the subject of a documentary... what will the cameras pick up on?
a/n: in this story, garcetti never died and elaine agreed to run as his vp in 2 years. also, susan is once again dating the asshole boyfriend (alex?)
“New bet.”
“Yeah, alright. Say... next month?”
“How much?”
“The same - fifty bucks.”
“Yeah,” said Sam, leaning his back against the wall. “I really thought it would happen sooner. I mean, it’s already been two months - and nothing!” They were waiting outside a large brown building, not having clearance to enter.
“I know, man, I know,” Jack was just as disappointed as Sam was about the fact Elaine and Susan still had not gotten together, but didn’t like to show it.
“I say it happens before the month is up - it’s gotta!”
“What makes you say that?”
“The body language, man!”
“Sammy - that’s what you said last time, and look where we are now...” Jack trailed off.
“But you gotta admit that the Secretary is a lot happier when Ms. Berg is around. The way her face lights up when Ms. Berg comes into the room, the silent conversations they have with their eyes, the -”
“Do you hear yourself?” Jack cut him off. “You sound like a goddamn poetry book, Sammy. When’d you become such a romantic anyway?”
“Fuck you, Jack. I’m just saying -”
“I know what you’re saying, man. I get it, okay? Look - she’s coming out. Better get the stuff,” said Jack, pushing up off the wall and picking up the camera. Sam followed suit.
--
Susan folded the last of his boxers and opened the drawer to put them away. When did I become this person - this person who does all the laundry and folds it? Susan reached into the drawer to make room for the newly-washed clothing, when her hand stumbled over a small box. She froze. No. She knew exactly what it was, and couldn’t stop herself from looking.
Dumping the neatly-folded clothing onto the bed, she picked the small velvet box out of the drawer, opening it. A diamond ring. An engagement ring. No.
No, no, no. In that instant Susan saw her life before her. Married to a man she doesn’t love, a man she barely likes. Getting pregnant, having to take time off from her job, then leaving it all together to take care of their multiple children. Wearing an apron, baking cookies. Having dinner on the table by seven. No. No. No.
She slammed the box shut and shoved it back into the drawer. She closed it without thinking about the clean clothes that still needed to be put away and flew into the living room. Susan threw herself onto the couch, curled her feet underneath herself and opened her laptop to work on an article.
Another one about Elaine. They had become so familiar with each other that Susan didn’t even think to call her Madam Secretary anymore. Unless they were in a formal setting, of course.
The last two months had been great. That’s a lie. You’re lying to yourself, Susan. These last two months have been more than I could ever ask for. I feel like a different person when I’m with her. Susan stopped herself there, turning her attention back to the article.
But she couldn’t concentrate. Susan’s mind started to wander again, thinking about Elaine’s smile. A smile not very many people got to see. How Elaine took her coffee black with two sugars and occasionally indulged in one of those whipped-to-all-hell sugary drinks from Starbucks. How she often yawned into the back of her hand, and always crossed her legs during important meetings. How Friday nights were for Chinese take-out and fancy wine. How her arm tingled when Elaine brushed it yesterday. How when they were working late at night - Elaine at her desk and Susan on the couch - she would catch Elaine looking at her over her glasses. How she stood just a little too close to Elaine when they were walking, and how Elaine leaned into her touch.
I am so fucked, thought Susan, realizing that somewhere along the line she had fallen in love with the Secretary of State.
Just then the front door opened and Alex walked in. “Oh - hey. Didn’t expect to see you here,” he said, dumping his jacket onto a nearby chair.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” bit back Susan.
He sighed, sitting down on his jacket. “I just mean that you’re usually not home until late. Really late.”
“Yeah, well, I work hard.”
“You work a lot, Susan,” he said, making it clear that he thought she worked a little too hard.
Susan shut her laptop and put it on the coffee table. She wanted to give this her full attention. “I thought you understood, Alex. This is a huge opportunity for me. I’m the Secretary of State’s only reporter. The only reporter who gets interviews with her. Don’t you see what that means?” Susan was incredulous - how could he not understand?
“Yeah, I get it, Susan, I really do.”
“I don’t think you do.”
“No, believe me, I get it. I get that your career is taking off because of this. That you’re really successful and you’re making a lot of new friends. I get it,” he stopped to take a breath. Susan just sat there staring, frozen. “What I don’t get is why you’re never home. You do all your writing at her office - I don’t get that! You used to write the most scathing articles about her, and now you guys are best friends? I don’t get it. I don’t get why you would rather spend your evenings in her office writing your articles than with me. I hardly see you anymore,” said Alex, running out of steam. What else could he say? He missed her, yes, but more than that - why can’t she let me have her?
“Are you done?”
He was about to say yes. To say yes, to walk into the bathroom and get into the shower. But he’d recently been told that telling the truth was the best policy in relationships - that he should just say what was on his mind. And I do want to marry her, after all. So he said it. “Why can’t you let me have you?”
Susan had been holding her breath, waiting for him to say yes, for this argument to be over. “What?”
“You heard me.”
She couldn’t believe it. I can’t - “I’m not something to be had, Alex. You don’t own me. I’m not a possession,” she took a breath, realizing her need to be anywhere but here. “You know what, I actually have to meet a source, so... I won’t be back until... late.”
Alex nodded his head silently, eyes downcast. He heard the door shut behind him.
--
For fuck’s sake... thought Elaine, grabbing her robe and making her way downstairs.
She swung open the door, thinking to herself that if it was the camera guys she would literally flip a shit. I need to fucking sleep.
All of those thoughts went out the window, however, when she saw who was standing on the other side of the door. “Susan. Come in.”
--
Susan pulled on the string attached to the tea bag that was currently floating in her half-empty mug. They were sitting on Elaine’s couch facing each other, less than a foot separating the two women.
“I can’t believe he said that,” said Elaine, suddenly furious. No one treated Susan that way - no one.
“There’s more,” replied Susan, laughing a little at the thought of what she was about to say.
“Do I want to know?”
“There’s a ring,” and the moment Elaine realized the significance of what Susan was saying was the moment she realized that her feelings extended far beyond the typical Secretary of State/Reporter relationship.
“Oh?”
Susan nodded, leaning over to place her mug next to Elaine’s on the coffee table. Sitting back up she said, “I was folding the laundry. He’s keeping it in his boxer drawer.”
Elaine moved to sit closer to Susan, somewhat mirroring her position - arms around her knees, knees that are tucked up to her chest. They were facing each other, their hands centimeters apart.
“Obviously I won’t say yes,” and Elaine breathed a sigh of relief, looking straight into Susan’s deep brown eyes.
“He’s not good enough for you - never was, in my opinion,” and she stood, picking up the mugs from the coffee table and walking them to the kitchen. Susan followed.
“Thank you - for saying that. My mother always liked him - I guess that’s why I tried so hard to make it work all these years,” said Susan, just then realizing the reality of her situation. She’d stayed with her boyfriend to please her mother.
“Making mothers happy is one of the hardest things to do,” said Elaine, cracking a smile, “Believe me, I know.”
Susan laughed at this, “I love Margaret.”
“Yeah, I think she’s soft on you too. Doesn’t like to admit it, but...”
“And her daughter?” they were now standing only inches apart. Elaine brought up her right hand to caress the smooth plains of Susan’s cheek, her thumb rubbing Susan’s bottom lip.
“Her daughter thinks you’re… okay,” said Elaine, smiling warmly. Susan placed her hands on Elaine’s hips, kissing her softly at first, and then with more passion.
Elaine responded immediately, pushing her hands into the coat Susan was still wearing to grasp at her waist. Susan untied Elaine’s robe, pushing it off her shoulders, lips never parting. Elaine moaned, parting her lips to allow Susan’s tongue entrance.
Tongues dueling, Elaine pushed Susan’s coat off her shoulders, bringing her hands to the hem of Susan’s shirt and playing with the exposed skin there.
Susan broke away, keeping her lips millimeters from Elaine’s, “Are you sure?”
“Are you?”
“Never been more sure of anything in my entire life,” she said, smiling.
“Well then I guess that settles it,” said Elaine, pulling Susan’s shirt over her head and backing her down the hallway.
TBC.....
part sixxxxx