Set shortly after the meeting at the Bartlet Library

Arnold Vinick leaned against the back of his office chair and then stood up to walk into the office of his Chief of Staff, Sheila Brooks. In his hand, he held a CLASSIFIED folder.

Sheila looked up from her computer to see the Secretary of State standing in her office doorway, "yes?" she asked.

"The Deputy vacancy that you and Sam Seaborne have been reminding me everyday that I need to fill," he said, annoyed at the phone calls he was receiving from the White House, regarding the position.

Sheila sighed. "I am not gonna like the name, am I?"

"Commander Kate Harper."

Sheila looked at him. "CIA Commander Kate Harper?"

Vinick frowned. "So? She was the Deputy NSA for over two years!"

His Chief of Staff sighed. "You do realize the Deputy position requires Senate confirmation? And is she even a Democrat? Have you read her book?"

The Secretary shrugged. "I read it," and Sheila pointedly looked at him. "Okay, most of it. She's a Naval Academy grad, father Navy, brother SEAL, she has CIA experience and Dr. McNally and the President trusted her in the Deputy NSA position."

"She does not have much political experience beside Deputy NSA! But, I am not going to talk you out of this, am I?" Sheila asked.

Vinick started walking out of the room, "get me her number and better yet, a meeting. I want her as my Deputy."

Sam Seaborne entered his boss, Josh Lyman's office and held up his cell phone. "I just got a call from Vinick's office."

Josh looked up at the energy bill he was reading. "What does Sheila want?" It was more common for him to call Sheila, not Sheila call one of them.

"Vinick seems to be stuck on a name for Deputy. I don't think you're going to like it."

Josh groaned. "Try me."

"Kate Harper."

That sent Josh into a tirade. "KATE HARPER! Commander Kate Harper? The one who got us into this mess in Kazakhstan? The one who hasn't held classified intel in over two years? The same one who wrote a book, slamming our decisions on foreign policy? That Kate Harper? Hell no!"

Sam sighed. "I actually think it might be good to have a fresh face around here."

The President of the United States came into Josh's office to see what the yelling was about. "I seem to hear Commander Harper's name coming out of your mouth," Santos raised an eyebrow.

The Deputy Chief of Staff decided he should explain. "I've been badgering Vinick for a name for Deputy and Sheila just called me with his short list."

"And it's one name," Josh commented.

"Commander Harper," President Santos surmised, as Josh silently nodded his head. "I actually don't hate the idea."

Josh looked at the President. "You don't hate the idea?"

Santos shrugged. "She's a relatively fresh face but the reason I like her is that the Russian foreign minister was willing to talk to her. Could be helpful now that Russia seems willing to come to the table about new elections."

"This is a really bad idea."

Santos shrugged again as he started walking back to the Oval Office. "Let Vinick have her. Sam, make sure the Senate process is going to be fast and quick," and he walked back into his office, giving his marching orders.

6 months later

Kate walked around the corner, looking down at the text she just received from her assistant, Amy. And she walked dab smack into the Congressman from Oregon's 4th district. "Oh my God, I am so sorry," before she realized who it was. After he looked at her, she sighed. "Will."

"Kate," Will said, shocked she would be walking around the West Wing. "What are you doing here."

"Giving the President a briefing on what is happening in foreign affairs," she shot back. "Or did you forget the Senate confirmation hearings?" Senate confirmation hearings were dirty and her CIA experience was put on for the full Senate to hear about. They did not seem to care if most of her experience was classified or not.

Will laughed and took a step back. "Oh, I remember."

"What are you doing here?" she asked now.

"Budget meetings with Josh," Will explained. As a back bencher on the Ways and Means, he was tapped to have the meetings with the West Wing about budget negotiations, given his past experience as a White House staffer.

Kate smiled. "Toe to toe with Josh Lyman, you're lucky day."

"Still doesn't explain what you're doing in this side, not anywhere near an exit," Will poked for details.

Kate smiled. "On my way to meet with Donna. The First Lady is accompanying the President to the G8 Summit to Germany."

"And you are to brief her," Will finished for her.

She nodded. "Mrs. Santos is pretty smart so I doubt it will be hard but still not an enjoyable task."

"Kate, do you want to grab some dinner after?" Will awkwardly asked. "I mean, the last time we saw each other at the Bartlet Library…" he trailed.

And she picked up and smiled. "Dinner would be wonderful. Same place as always? 8 pm?"

Will smiled back, relieved that she was okay with the idea. The last time they had spoken, it didn't go the way he wanted it to. "Sounds great."

And then awkward took place. "I need to go, I'll be late meeting Donna."

"And I'm going to be late for Josh," and they took off in separate directions, both of them smiling however.