Waiting My Whole Life For You
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I'm just playing with them.
Pairings: Leo/Margaret, Toby/Donna, Sam/CJ, Josh/OFC
Summary: "The story is about an assistant who falls in love with her boss but he's too dumb to realize he's in love with her," she told him.
The others in the series are:
A Life Story Parts 1 - 5 Toby/Donna
My Mothers Son Parts 1-3 Josh/Lauren (author created character)
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
~White House~
~November 2007~
Leo closed the file he had been reading and tossed it on the corner of his desk. He sat back in the chair and relaxed with an audible sigh. He was bored. It was early November, a new President had been elected and he had nothing to do but wait. Wait and pray for a war to break out somewhere in the world. It didn't have to be a big war, just something to pass the time. He heard a clickety-clacking coming from the outer office. Curious, he got up to investigate.
"What the hell are you doing," he asked sounding irritated even though he wasn't.
Margaret barely glanced at him. "Typing."
"Typing what," he growled. "I haven't given you anything."
"A book."
His face softened as he thought she might be writing her memoirs from the White House. "Am I in it?"
"Yes," she replied shortly.
"Well that ought to be an interesting book," he told her. "I don't think a Chief of Staffs assistant has ever written a book about the White House before."
She stopped writing and looked at him. "I'm not writing about the White House."
"What are you writing," he asked slowly.
"You thought I was writing my memoirs didn't you," she asked.
He shrugged. "I kind of assumed…I mean you said I was in it."
"You are," she said in a sultry voice with a small smile on her lips.
"If this is about my drinking and stuff it's ok. I just wish you would have asked first," he said. "You're the only one I would trust to write about that."
"Really," she asked surprised.
"Yes," he nodded.
"Why," she asked. "Why me? Why not Toby?"
"Toby is good for speech writing but not for telling human interest stories. I've read some of your stories, you're a good writer," he praised.
"When have you read anything other than memos that I have written," she asked curiously.
"Well…uh," he stammered.
"Leo," she said accusatorially.
"I was looking for something one day and you were gone somewhere," he explained as he waved his hands in the air. "There was a disk in your computer so I thought it may contain the information I needed."
"So you stole my disk and read my personal files," she said flatly.
"No," he defended. "Well, yes. But it wasn't my fault. You shouldn't have personal stuff at work in the first place."
"When was this," she asked coldly.
"About two years ago," he murmured.
"Well, I would think that if you had a problem with it you would have said something sooner."
"I don't have a problem with it," he told her. "You've always done a good job. No, better than good. The best job I could have ever expected from an assistant."
She beamed at his praise. "Thank you, Leo."
"You're welcome," he replied. "Now tell me about this book."
"It's a romance," she whispered.
"A romance," he repeated sounding skeptical and horrified all at once.
She nodded. "A smutty romance."
"And I'm in it," he asked breathlessly.
She smiled. "You're the leading man."
"Really," he squeaked. He wasn't sure if she was kidding him or not. He could never really tell when she was joking or being serious.
"The story is about an assistant who falls in love with her boss but he's too dumb to realize he's in love with her," she told him.
"Oh for the love of God," he said loudly and started pacing the room.
"It's a true story," she said just as loud.
He stopped walking and looked at her. "Yes it is," he agreed.
She blinked in surprise unable to respond to his confession. They stared at one another for a few minutes before he started to smile.
"Are you going to say anything," he asked.
She shook her head.
"If I had known how this would affect you I would have said something earlier," he joked.
"I love you," she whispered suddenly.
"I know," he replied softly. "The feelings mutual."
"Are you going to say it," she asked.
"I just did," he replied.
"No you didn't," she pouted. He walked over to her and leaned down.
"I love you," he whispered. She blushed and smiled as he moved closer. She closed her eyes in anticipation of a kiss, their first kiss.
"Hey Leo," Josh said from the doorway. "Can I see you for a minute?"
Leo sighed and turned to Josh with a frown on his face. "Inside."
Margaret watched as they walked into the office, unaware that Josh was watching her.
"Did I interrupt something," Josh smirked.
"Don't you always," Leo asked. "What do you want? And why are you here?"
"I'm calling in favors from old friends," Josh smiled.
"What do you want, Senator?"
"Margaret," he stated.
"Excuse me. Did you say Margaret?"
"Yes," Josh said without the smile.
"She's my assistant," Leo growled.
"I know and she's a good assistant," Josh said. "I need someone who can take care of me."
"What about Donna," Leo asked.
"Are you kidding me? She just gave birth to her fifth child a few months ago. She said that Toby doesn't want her to work anymore. He wants her to stay home for a while," Josh explained.
"What about Ginger?"
"Married to Senator Paul Mason, remember? She's not working anymore either."
"Bonnie?"
Josh tilted his head and smiled. "Leo…I thought you were retiring. You're not going to need her anymore if you're retired."
"That's true," Leo said thoughtfully. "I just…I don't know. You'll have to talk to her."
"Can you ask her," Josh asked hesitantly.
Leo smiled. "She smells fear Josh. If she smells fear she will feed off of it and make your life miserable every day."
"Just like Donna?"
"Exactly."
"She's perfect for me," Josh stated.
"You want her," Leo said as he rounded his desk. "You go ask her."
"Fine. But if they never find my body it's all your fault," he said as he turned and walked out of the door.
"Whatever," Leo called out. Leo sat at his desk and shuffled papers. He could hear Margaret and Josh talking but could not make out what was being said. He silently hoped that she would turn down the job as his plans for their future didn't include her working for Josh. But then who was he to be making plans for both of them? They had just
admitted to having feelings for one another that didn't give him the right to control her life.
"Leo," Margaret said from the doorway. He looked up and smiled and she stepped further into the room. "So you know what Josh wanted, right?"
"Yeah," he said softly. "Are you going to do it?"
"Do you think I should," she asked quickly.
"Not if you don't want to," he replied.
She stared at him for a moment. "Do you want me to?"
He met her gaze and held it. "Not particularly. It would be good work though, not as hectic as working here."
She nodded and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I really haven't made any plans for after January. Maybe I could help him out until he finds someone else."
"Yeah," Leo agreed. "Or until he is no longer a Senator."
"You really don't want me to do it, do you?"
"I'm being selfish," he admitted. "I want you to be with me."
"I want to be with you as well but don't you think it would look better if we waited a little while before people knew we were dating?"
"I hadn't thought about that. You're right. Take the job with Josh I'll stay in the city and after things settle down again, we can make our relationship public," he surmised.
"Ok," she smiled. "But I'm going to make Josh sweat for a couple of days. He's scared of me."
Leo laughed. "I told him not to be afraid but he didn't listen."
~Oval office~
~January 2008~
"Good morning Mr. President," Leo said as he strode through the connecting door between their offices.
"Good morning Leo," Jed replied with a wry smile. "This is it."
"Yes sir," Leo agreed.
"Our last day in office," Jed stated.
"Yes, sir Mr. President."
"You know that we are staying up until after midnight and at one minute after midnight you're going to call me Jed."
"If you say so Mr. President," Leo smirked.
"I do. And you know what else I think," Jed asked.
"No sir, I do not."
"I think I'm going to miss being called Mr. President," Jed said quietly. The two men stared at each other saying more with their eyes then they could say with their mouths.
"I think I'm going to miss calling you Mr. President as well," Leo said finally.
There was a knock on the main door before Charlie poked his head inside. "The staff is here sir," he announced.
"Send them in, Charlie."
"Yes, sir."
The door opened wider and in came Toby, CJ, Sam and Josh. Jed smiled when he saw Josh, who had left the early in order to run for the senate for Connecticut.
"Senator Lyman," Jed said loudly as he approached the younger man and held out his hand. "What brings you here?"
"Well, Mr. President, I was here for the first day so I thought I should be here for the last day as well," Josh smiled. "Especially since I almost didn't see this day."
The room was silent as everyone thought over the events that had transpired in the previous years.
"It's been a long ride, hasn't it Josh," Jed asked.
"Yes sir," Josh agreed.
"And how is the rest of my staff," Jed asked.
"Fine sir," Toby said.
"We're doing well," CJ said as she looked at Sam.
"Well let's sit down," Jed ordered. They all made themselves comfortable. "Ok, it's confession time. Sam, CJ what are your plans?"
"We're moving to California," Sam announced.
"What," Jed cried.
"We're going to run my father's vineyard," CJ said.
"Ok," Jed said slowly.
"Toby? What are you and your very large family going to do," Jed asked.
"We're moving to New York," Toby stated.
"Why does that not surprise me," Jed smiled.
"I got a book deal from a publisher and some offers to make some appearances at several colleges," Toby announced.
"Excellent. You take care of that family of yours," Jed advised.
"I will," Toby promised.
"You better," Josh warned.
Toby smirked at him. "Don't threaten me, Senator, or I will smack you down like the whipped pup you are."
"Ooh, I'm scared," Josh mocked.
"You will be," Toby said menacingly.
"Now I am scared," Josh gulped.
"Now boys," Jed interjected gently. "Play nice on our last day."
"Yes sir," they replied in unison.
Jed turned to his best friend and smirked. "So Leo, when are you and Margaret getting married?"
"What," Leo yelled.
"You heard me," Jed stated.
"Whatever would give you the idea that Margaret and I are getting married?"
"I know you," Jed replied. "You're in love with her."
"I am not," Leo replied defensively.
"You're as clueless about love as Josh is," Jed accused.
"I'm not clueless," Josh said. "I'm married."
"Aren't we all," CJ said dryly.
"Everyone but Leo," Jed agreed.
"And I have no plans to get married," Leo grumbled.
"Suit yourself," Jed stated as he stood up. "But when you are old and lonely, don't come crying to me."