Mr. President
"......I will." Sam concluded his toast. His first toast as the president of the United States....he could hardly believe. No- he couldn't believe it.
To the sound of applause and soft cheering, Sam returned to sit down at the table- his table. For this was the white house- his house now. He looked to his left at Josh- his new chief of staff. To his right was an aging Leo and former president Bartlet. Next to Leo was CJ Cregg, as strong willed as ever, never stopping her smile. Sam grinned at Josh who returned the smile- though a bit uneasily.
Sam shook his head. "Guys....I can't thank you enough-"
"Mr. President, honestly, it was our pleasure," Josh said slowly.
Sam blinked, still not used to the title.
"Besides," Jed added, "Now you can figure out how the hell those phones work."
They all laughed heartily to this. The year was 2012, and even though the years following the Bartlet administration had been difficult, they all had received a second chance for the....ahem....Seaborn Administration. And all were enjoying it.
Later that night, after the last inauguration ball, Sam returned to the residence, where Josh, Leo, Bartlet, and CJ were waiting for him. "Mr. President!" They all cheered as he entered the living area. Sam grinned. "Thanks, guys," he laughed. After a few hours of eating left-overs, drinking bad beer and talking, CJ began to yawn.
"Well, " she began, "I better go. Early day tomorrow and all," she said winking. She went to Sam and hesitantly gave the president a hug. Sam tilted his head and kissed her softly on the cheek. "It's just me, CJ. Harvard. Just got a new crib, that's all."
She smiled. "Yes, sir."
Sam blinked. He realized that things wouldn't be the same from now on- but at least it would come at the cost of a better republic, and that he could bear.
Leo stood slowly from his perch on the sofa and walked over to shake Sam's hand. "Toby would have been very proud of you, sir."
Sam blinked, tears welling in his eyes. He swallowed. "Leo...when we're not in office.....please don't address me like that. I don't deserve that respect from you..... not yet."
Leo nodded and patted his arm. "You're a good man, son."
Bartlet was the second to the last to leave, shaking Sam's hand firmly, his arthritis ridden hands shaking slightly. "Congratulations, sir."
Sam blinked again, shaking his head. "Sam, sir. Just Sam, please."
Bartlett shook his head. "You deserve the title. You do."
Sam ducked his head. "Thank you, Mr. President."
Bartlett smiled and slowly made his way to the doorframe where Leo was waiting to assist the older man. Bartlett had been weakened by MS since early 2005, directly following his second administration. Therefore, against his wishes but complying with his ex wife's, he was assisted with a silver cane.
Josh smiled and Sam and Sam returned the smile this time. "Josh?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't do that, Josh. Don't turn into Leo."
"Ok, Sam. But President Bartlett's right-"
"Whatever. Want a beer?"
"Yeah. It's gonna be a hell of ride, man. These next four to eight years."
"Damn straight. You wanna back down?"
"Hell, no. You?"
"Never."
"......I will." Sam concluded his toast. His first toast as the president of the United States....he could hardly believe. No- he couldn't believe it.
To the sound of applause and soft cheering, Sam returned to sit down at the table- his table. For this was the white house- his house now. He looked to his left at Josh- his new chief of staff. To his right was an aging Leo and former president Bartlet. Next to Leo was CJ Cregg, as strong willed as ever, never stopping her smile. Sam grinned at Josh who returned the smile- though a bit uneasily.
Sam shook his head. "Guys....I can't thank you enough-"
"Mr. President, honestly, it was our pleasure," Josh said slowly.
Sam blinked, still not used to the title.
"Besides," Jed added, "Now you can figure out how the hell those phones work."
They all laughed heartily to this. The year was 2012, and even though the years following the Bartlet administration had been difficult, they all had received a second chance for the....ahem....Seaborn Administration. And all were enjoying it.
Later that night, after the last inauguration ball, Sam returned to the residence, where Josh, Leo, Bartlet, and CJ were waiting for him. "Mr. President!" They all cheered as he entered the living area. Sam grinned. "Thanks, guys," he laughed. After a few hours of eating left-overs, drinking bad beer and talking, CJ began to yawn.
"Well, " she began, "I better go. Early day tomorrow and all," she said winking. She went to Sam and hesitantly gave the president a hug. Sam tilted his head and kissed her softly on the cheek. "It's just me, CJ. Harvard. Just got a new crib, that's all."
She smiled. "Yes, sir."
Sam blinked. He realized that things wouldn't be the same from now on- but at least it would come at the cost of a better republic, and that he could bear.
Leo stood slowly from his perch on the sofa and walked over to shake Sam's hand. "Toby would have been very proud of you, sir."
Sam blinked, tears welling in his eyes. He swallowed. "Leo...when we're not in office.....please don't address me like that. I don't deserve that respect from you..... not yet."
Leo nodded and patted his arm. "You're a good man, son."
Bartlet was the second to the last to leave, shaking Sam's hand firmly, his arthritis ridden hands shaking slightly. "Congratulations, sir."
Sam blinked again, shaking his head. "Sam, sir. Just Sam, please."
Bartlett shook his head. "You deserve the title. You do."
Sam ducked his head. "Thank you, Mr. President."
Bartlett smiled and slowly made his way to the doorframe where Leo was waiting to assist the older man. Bartlett had been weakened by MS since early 2005, directly following his second administration. Therefore, against his wishes but complying with his ex wife's, he was assisted with a silver cane.
Josh smiled and Sam and Sam returned the smile this time. "Josh?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't do that, Josh. Don't turn into Leo."
"Ok, Sam. But President Bartlett's right-"
"Whatever. Want a beer?"
"Yeah. It's gonna be a hell of ride, man. These next four to eight years."
"Damn straight. You wanna back down?"
"Hell, no. You?"
"Never."