Disclaimer: Anyone you don't recognize is mine. Everyone else belongs to Aaron Sorkin.

---------------TWW------------

Ainsley smiled as she sat down behind her desk, glancing around her decorated office. Sam watched her from the doorway and Josh watched them from the stairs. He shook his head and let out a low sigh. Sam was a goner. He already was head over heels for the petite, blonde Republican who had kicked his ass on national television.

"This was nice of you guys." Ainsley finally said. "Whose idea was it?"

"Mine." Sam mumbled, giving her a bashful look.

"Well it was sweet. Thank you Sam."

"No problem. I um... I'm gonna get back upstairs." he turned quickly, whacking his head in the doorframe. "Oh ow..."

"Oh God. Sam, are you okay?"

"Yeah." he rubbed his forehead and practically ran from the office, leaving Ainsley a little concerned at her desk.

"Did you ask her?"

Sam jumped and nearly fell down the short flight of stairs when he saw Josh emerge from the shadows.

"Don't do that!" he hissed. Josh merely shrugged.

"Did you ask her?"

"Ask her what?"

"To go out."

"No! Why would I ask her to go out?"

"Because you like her." Josh said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sam gave him a look and began heading through the basement up to the main level of the West Wing. Josh was behind him, giving off reasons why Sam already liked Ainsley and why it was so clear to everyone in the building. "Come on Sam. You got to admit, her making you look like a complete idiot on TV was pretty hot."

"It was pretty embarrassing."

"Okay, well besides that. I mean, she's pretty, young, intelligent..."

"A Republican."

"Go ask her out to lunch or something. You know you want to."

"I know I don't want to."

"Yeah? Then why the hell else did you fire Brookline and Joyce?"

"Because a big harassment suit would've been started and we've already had enough bad things happen in this administration." Sam said. "Now drop it."

"Fine." Josh relented and headed towards his office. Once he was out of view, Sam quickly went back down to the basement and went to Ainsley's office.

"Ainsley,"

She looked up and gave Sam a smile.

"How's your head?"

"Good. Are you hungry?"

---------------TWW-------------

Ainsley clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to keep her drink in her mouth as Sam told a story about him and Josh. She finally let out a snort, making Sam laugh loudly. Ainsley tried to give him a stern look but ended up laughing with him.

"Well that... that was hilarious." she said, still slightly laughing.

"Yes. I've learned never to turn to Josh in that aspect of life." Sam smirked. Their waitress came over and set their food down, giving Sam a big smile as she did. He smiled back and Ainsley was surprised to find herself feeling jealous. The waitress walked away and Ainsley immediately dug into her food. "You know, I've never met a woman that could eat as much as you do."

"I stay skinny so I don't have to worry about watching what I eat, unlike some women."

"I can see that." Sam picked at his french fries, then dunked one in ketchup and popped it into his mouth.

"I heard you fired Brookline and Joyce." Ainsley said quietly.

"Yeah."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

Ainsley gave Sam a questioning look and he felt himself turn red.

"Well, I mean, I didn't want to all the time but... what they did was unacceptable."

"Still, you didn't have to do it for me."

"I would've done it for anyone. They were my staff. I have to keep them in line." Sam said. Ainsley just nodded and they were silent as they ate their lunch.

------------------TWW---------------

"You didn't have to walk me down to my office you know." Ainsley said, smiling as she sat down behind her desk. Sam shrugged, a small grin plastered to his face.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but, I had a good time this afternoon." he said.

"Well I see it didn't kill you to say it." Ainsley drawled, sending shivers up Sam's spine. "I had a good time too."

"We... we should do it again."

Ainsley stared at Sam and was finding it amusing that a man who spoke with the President on a daily basis was getting bashful and quiet around her of all people.

"Maybe one day." she said quietly.

"Yeah..." Sam trailed off. "I better get back upstairs."

"Yeah. See you."

"Bye."

--------------------TWW-----------------

Sam sighed as he went through the TV channels again. It had been a couple of weeks since he and Ainsley had lunch. He had thought it had gone quite nicely. However, they had only seen each other at work. Maybe she didn't like him. Maybe she didn't want to see him. Maybe she only wanted to be colleagues. Now he was sitting at home, flipping through TV channels and nothing was on.

"Amazing I spent all that money on this 'great package' and I got garbage on TV." Sam muttered. He sighed and shut the TV off, then headed into his kitchen. Upon opening the refrigerator, Sam let out a groan. He had no food whatsoever. Well, if you could call a stick of butter, old milk, and a half empty Miller Light bottle food then he supposed he had some. Sam grabbed his keys off the counter and left his apartment, heading down to his car. About fifteen minutes later he arrived at the store and was slowly making his way down each aisle. Sam was staring at a shelf and didn't see the cart in front of him. He absentmindedly pushed his cart down the aisle, still staring at the shelf. Once the two carts crashed, Sam looked up, ready to apologize but smiled, seeing Ainsley.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"It's okay. I wasn't either." Ainsley said.

"What are the odds?" Sam joked, making Ainsley laugh softly.

"I figured you'd be in the West Wing." she said.

"I do go home believe it or not. I had no food."

"Did you eat dinner?"

"Not yet. I'm trying to decide on something. I should've just ordered take-out."

"No. I'm glad I ran into you." Ainsley said quietly.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You want... you want to get dinner?" Sam asked.