Title: "Some Scars Don't Show…In Daylight"
Rating: R – for mature themes and strong angst - NC-17 eventually...hang in there!
Summary: This fic deals with a very serious topic; both for the character introduced, and for our hero, Sam. At the end of this fic, I'll have a link where you can find more information, but please,
whatever you do. Don't remain silent. It's the worst thing to do.
Disclaimers: Not mine, they belong to the writing god, Aaron Sorkin.
Feedback: Is appreciated greatly, and encourages me to keep going. I like to know if people are enjoying my high angst stories, so if you like this story, please let me know!
Part 1.
"Hey Josh, you comin'?"
"Yeah."
I finish putting my coat over my shoulders, and stand by his door, waiting for him to leave.
"DONNA!"
"WHAT?"
"DON'T YELL!"
"YOU STARTED IT!"
"God, when are you two gonna get married? Geez…"
Josh looks up at me with his `I'm not impressed' look, and as soon as he's about to open his mouth, Donna appears at his door.
"What did you want? I hope it's not something time critical, because I was just about to go home."
"Well, if you don't want to come, that's up to you."
She gets an excited look on her face.
"OOH! Where `ya goin'?"
"Josh and I were going to the bar up the road for a drink. Wanna come?"
"Sure! Lemme get my coat."
She turns around in a flash. Before I can say God Bless America, she's back and ready to go.
"Hey Donna. Have a good night."
"Thanks, CJ."
"Hey, we're all going to the bar up the street. Wanna come?"
"Sure! I'll grab Toby."
I'm going to hold my tongue. I'm going to hold my tongue. I'm going to…
"You're gonna grab him where?"
I can't help but smile, as Josh says what I so desperately wanted to.
"I'm gonna grab him by the scruff of his neck, and drag him to come with us. Is that alright with you Mr. Lyman?"
Oh oh, she's pissed. I'm glad I didn't say that, despite it being incredibly funny.
"Fine by me, Ms. Cregg. That about does it. Let's get out of here."
With that, we all head to the parking lot, get in our cars and head down Pennsylvania Avenue to the bar.
"So it's not really about that particular part of the bill. It's about the whole thing in general."
"Yeah. See, the Republicans want the bill to go through, but we're saying that it's a stupid bill, and shouldn't even make it through the first reading. That's if I have my way. What do you think, Sam?"
I shake my head at the sound of my name.
"Huh?"
"I said, what do you think about the thing?"
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."
"Sam, are you a Democrat?"
"Yes, of course."
"Well, you know that Democrats are opposed to that, don't you?"
I shake my head again to try and bring myself into the conversation.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Where are you, buddy, `cause you're sure as hell not here."
He casts a glance where my stare is, and he gets a smug smile on his face. He turns to Donna and whispers so that everyone can hear.
"Must be mating season."
Donna laughs at my expense, but when I cast her a look she takes her smile back.
"It's not mating season, it's just that…"
"It's mating season."
"Josh. Be nice."
"Donna, I am being nice."
"You're cut off. You've had three, and that's enough."
"Yes mother."
He turns to look at me again, and notices that I'm still looking towards a booth at the back of the bar.
"What is it, Sam?"
"I swear to God, I know her. I just don't know from where."
"Well, go find out."
I start to get up from the table and respond.
"Yeah. K."
I walk through the crowd of people and stand at the table where there is a very striking woman sitting in the booth, her long dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, and she's working on some type of
paperwork. I stand there for a moment, and she doesn't even realize that there's someone there; until I clear my throat. She gets a little startled, but she looks up at me.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but I was just across the
floor with my friends and I saw you here. You seem very familiar to me, but I don't know where I know you from."
She looks at me with a serious look on her face, then she smiles a bright smile.
"Sam? Is it you?"
As soon as I heard her voice, I knew her.
"Catherine! How are you? It's been, what? 13 years?"
She stands up from where she was seated, and I pull her towards me for a brief hug.
"At least! Look at you! You look fantastic! I see politics agrees with you, Sam."
"Yeah, well I didn't think I should go into science; seeing as I almost failed that class."
"That's because you were never there, you were too busy surfing."
I smile.
"True. You've got me on that one. So how are you?"
She smiles.
"I'm doing alright. It's good to see you again."
"You too."
We stand there for a moment, not saying anything to each other, when I make a decision.
"Cath, come with me. Pack this stuff up, if you can, then come meet everyone."
She looks a little pensive, but she nods her head and packs her files into her briefcase, and we walk to the table where everyone has obviously been watching us. As we approach the table, they obviously
are changing the subject of conversation for my benefit.
"Hey, buddy."
I put my hand on Catherine's back, and introduce her to everyone.
"Catherine Wilson, it's still Wilson, right?"
She smiles at me and nods her head yes.
"I'd like to introduce you to the illustrious group of people that I work with. Josh Lyman."
He stands up and shakes her hand.
"Hi there."
"Hi."
"Donna Moss."
She waves at Catherine.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"My immediate boss, Toby Ziegler."
He stands up and extends a hand to her.
"Nice to meet you, Miss."
"Thank you. You too."
"And Claudia Jean Cregg."
"It's C.J. Hi there."
"Hi. It's nice to meet all of you."
"C.J. Scooch over so we can both sit down."
"Scooch? What kind of word is that, Sam?"
"Toby, it's a verb. You know what those are, don't you?"
He rolls his eyes at me as they all move over a little so we can both sit down. As we do, her phone rings.
"Hello. Yes. I know, but… Yes. Yes. I know, I won't be much longer.
Ok. Bye."
She hangs up her phone.
"Sorry about that. Business call. So you all work with Sam?"
"Yeah, but we usually end up doing all the work."
"Hey!"
"What, it's true. The assistants, like myself, end up doing all the dirty work and you all get the praise."
"Donna, I told you I would work on Leo about getting you a raise, but that's all I can promise you."
"That's all you ever promise me. Promises, promises, promises."
We all roll our eyes at the banter that goes on between these two.
"So Catherine. What line of work are you in?"
"I'm a marketing consultant. Not a very glamorous line of work, but it pays the bills."
"It's important what you do. Hey don't we need someone to help out with stuff? I mean, she already knows Sam, so if she can tolerate him
now, she's got one up on us already."
"Hey!"
"Josh, I think that we should discuss these things in private."
He quickly turns to Catherine.
"Not saying that I don't think that Josh makes a VERY valid point, but there's procedure. I hope you know what I mean."
She smiles and lowers her head.
"Yes, Sir. I understand. Besides; I wouldn't be able to accept anything. I'm…"
Her phone rings again, and as she takes it out of her pocket and looks at the number, she excuses herself from the table. We all nod as she gets up and walks away, yet my attention is focused on her as
she's holding this conversation. I hear little bits and pieces, but her expressions that are catching my attention the most are a little disconcerting.
"I'm sorry, I just lost track of time. I'll be there as soon as I can. Yes, I know. It's not that, it's just… I understand. Ok. Bye."
With that, she folds her phone to end the call, and walks towards the table, picking up her coat and her briefcase. She lowers her head as she talks to us so fast I can hardly understand what she's saying.
"I'm sorry, but I have to get going. It was really nice to meet you all."
I immediately sense that something's wrong, so I bound up from the table and walk her to the door, all the while pulling my coat over my arms.
"Catherine, what's the matter? Are you ok?"
She doesn't turn to look at me as continues walking towards the door, and speaking to me in a worried tone.
"I've got to go, Sam. Thanks."
"Cath, do you need a ride?"
"I've got a cab. I've really got to go, Sam."
"You know where I work. Please call me."
She opens the door to the cab that was waiting for her outside the bar, and without so much as a wave or a smile she closes the door and the cab drives away. I stand outside for a moment, watching the car
drive off and I wonder. Maybe I'm just over-reacting. I mean, she's in Marketing, right? Maybe it's a crisis at work. I'll look up her number tomorrow at work and make sure that everything's ok. I suddenly feel a hand land on my shoulder with strength.
"You ok?"
"Yeah. I think so. Thanks, Josh."
"No problem. We'll find her number tomorrow. Come back in; I'll buy the next round."
I nod my head and slowly walk back into the bar, and as I take my coat off and sit back down, everyone knows that my mood has changed; for the worse. They're all looking at me with that `poor Sam' look on
their faces.
"What?"
Again, the look.
"Are we here to drink, or are we here to drink?"
C.J. pipes up.
"Who's buying this round?"
"I think Josh said he was, didn't you?"
I give him a good natured slap on the back which almost makes him blow beer out his nose.
"Yeah. I think so."
So we sit here, all nursing our own brand of wounds from the day, and I do my best to keep my spirits up. It's tough, but I think I've done ok. A few hours and a lot of alcohol later, we stagger to the door as
the bartender is just about to throw us out. I lean my arm over C.J.'s shoulder.
"You know, you're the best. If you weren't so damn tall…"
"Hey. Watch it Spanky."
"I'm sorry. You're like this hugely tall woman, and yet you insist on wearing heels. What's with that?"
"It's the fashion statement. I can't wear this skirt and not wear heels, you know."
I raise my finger to indicate I agree with her, and we all say our good-byes, well, good-mornings, and we head into cabs, and brace ourselves for the possibilities of substantial hangovers in the morning. I get to my place, hand the driver a bill of some sort; I really didn't look at it but he didn't tell me that it wasn't enough money, so I just got out and went inside. I fumble with the keys a little and finally get inside the door. I kick off my shoes, and throw my coat on the couch as I clumsily walk towards my bedroom. I pass the answering machine; no messages. That's weird. There's usually lots. Oh that's right. I checked them when I was at the place. That explains that. I don't even bother turning on the lights; I know where my bed is. Besides; that much light would just hurt me right about now. I step into the bed, literally, and fall face first onto my pillow. I open one eye and look at the clock. Oh god. 3:36. I have to be up in at 5:00. Oh god. I'm never going drinking with them again. Okay. Maybe just until the next time…
TBC...
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Absolutely Wonderful.
