TITLE: Good luck, Sam Seaborn. (1/1)
AUTHOR: Melissa Orr
DISCLAIMER: I don't own them, never will.
I lost.
It wasn't a major surprise. I saw it coming. But with everything that has happened in my life, I thought maybe, just maybe, a miracle would happen.
I sat outside in the sand at the Orange County beach, staring out at the ocean. Seriously considering jumping in, swimming out to somewhere far away from here. It was half past midnight; I'd been out here for the past three hours, considering my next move. The election was close, closer then anyone could have imagined. I talked to the President after the votes were counted. He blamed himself. He blamed the tax plan, which got him in an uproar about Republicans, which prompted Abby Bartlet to take control of the call and send the President to bed.
I never thought I would make it this far. I knew, ever since I came down here that I was going to lose. But there was this small thought, always running through my head, that I might have a shot.
Toby dropped everything to help me with the campaign. And he did an excellent job. He knew I was going to lose, but if anyone knew how to handle losing, it would be Toby. He wanted to be there when I lost so he could stand next to me, be proud that I was a friend. Be proud that I stood up for something no one else would have ever stood up for. Part of the reason I did this was to make him proud, his opinion means more to me then even my fathers. Toby doesn't voice his like or love of something very often, but to hear him tell me that he was proud and that he would stand next to me when I lost made me feel more pleasure then if I were to win the damn thing.
"Samuel!" Toby bellowed from behind me. I've been hearing him calling my name for the past ten minutes. But I was too tired to move or shout back. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"I'm watching the waves," I mention.
Silence.
"You do realize it's dark outside, right?" Toby mentioned. Leave it to him to ruin a resting and relaxing mood. "Your mother has been calling me all night."
"She calls every night," I roll my eyes. That woman calls too much.
I watch from the corner of my eye as Toby paced in the sand, looking down, almost as if he was plotting something evil if the sand attempted to get in his shoes again. I smile secretively.
"CJ thinks we should get drunk." Toby mentioned. "There's too much sand around here!"
"It's a beach," CJ walked over with three glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. She's my life savior.
"Shut up."
Oh, how I've missed the CJ and Toby bickering.
"Want me to sing again?" CJ joked as she sat down next to me and handed me a glass. "Sit down Toby."
"In the sand?" He asks, seriously.
"Toby," CJ smirked at me while debating. "It doesn't bite. Just talk to it nicely."
"Shut up." Is all he said and sat next to her, with his back towards the ocean.
"I'm making a toast," CJ filled each glass and handed them around. "To a job well done, and to getting back to the White House tomorrow before Toby's arrested again."
"Amen," Toby raises his glass in compliance and inhales his drink.
I watch as CJ messes around, tossing sand over in Toby's lap, and I watch as he comes up with ways to kill her for it. They're enjoying. I'll miss these two.
"No more!" Toby tossed a handful of sand in CJ's direction, making her duck down.
"Poor sport," CJ managed a chuckle as she tossed a larger amount at Toby. "How're you doing Sam?" She ignored Toby's cursing and looked at me.
"I'm okay," I lie. "I'm going to miss you two," I say seriously.
"Why?" Toby said, which makes me realize I haven't told them my decision yet. "We're all leaving tomorrow for the White House to get back to normalcy, or close to it." He glares at CJ, who's still egging him on with the sand. "I'm going to bury you in that sand if you throw anymore in my direction."
"I'm staying," I blurt out as CJ dumps a large amount of sand over Toby's head and starts to run off. I think my statement stunned them, since both stopped moving and looked at me with shock. "Now I finally figured out how to get you two to stop and pay attention. I guess it's better then saying, I slept with a call girl," I joke. They still weren't moving, or blinking for that matter.
"What do you mean, you're staying?" Toby asks me.
"I've been thinking about this for a while now," I begin. "I knew coming out here that I was going to lose. It wasn't a surprise. But the election was close. Maybe if I stay and come more familiar with everyone, and allow everyone to become more familiar with me, I might have a shot during the next election."
"Sam, are you serious?" CJ questioned.
"Yes," I nod. "I think if I have more time to prepare, and I have a better handle of it then I did this time, I might be able to win next election year and show everyone that I am someone worth trusting," I look over at Toby, remembering our earlier chat. "I want to believe in myself, and I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish even the impossible."
Toby and CJ both stare at me, with concerned looks on their faces before looking at each other for one brief moment. CJ sat back down next to me and put her arms around me and gave me a hug.
"You're a good man Sam Seaborn," She whispers. "And you're strong."
"Stop smothering him," I hear Toby demand. Which caused CJ to pull back and look into my face. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and smiled.
"Game on, Sam." She nodded and stood. I followed her lead and stood as well. I didn't realize my butt could get this numb.
"I'll need some help when election time comes around though," I mention.
"And we'll be here," I hear Toby say. I half expected CJ to be the one to say that. "Anytime you need us," Toby nodded his head to make sure I understood. I nodded back.
"Thank you," I manage to choke out. This side of Toby was a weird sight to see, but it was welcomed. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."
"You make me proud Sam," Toby walked over and hugged me before I got a chance to. "No matter if you win or lose."
I hug him back, not wanting to relinquish the moment. I realize that this is a rare thing, and I should savor it while I have it. Toby doesn't hug a lot of people.
"I never get a hug," CJ joked when Toby stepped back.
"That's 'cause you throw sand at me," Toby said, keeping his eyes on me. "Good luck, Sam Seaborn."
"Thank you," I smile.
"Can we get drunk yet?" CJ mentioned, holding up the wine bottle.
"Yes."
THE END
I lost.
It wasn't a major surprise. I saw it coming. But with everything that has happened in my life, I thought maybe, just maybe, a miracle would happen.
I sat outside in the sand at the Orange County beach, staring out at the ocean. Seriously considering jumping in, swimming out to somewhere far away from here. It was half past midnight; I'd been out here for the past three hours, considering my next move. The election was close, closer then anyone could have imagined. I talked to the President after the votes were counted. He blamed himself. He blamed the tax plan, which got him in an uproar about Republicans, which prompted Abby Bartlet to take control of the call and send the President to bed.
I never thought I would make it this far. I knew, ever since I came down here that I was going to lose. But there was this small thought, always running through my head, that I might have a shot.
Toby dropped everything to help me with the campaign. And he did an excellent job. He knew I was going to lose, but if anyone knew how to handle losing, it would be Toby. He wanted to be there when I lost so he could stand next to me, be proud that I was a friend. Be proud that I stood up for something no one else would have ever stood up for. Part of the reason I did this was to make him proud, his opinion means more to me then even my fathers. Toby doesn't voice his like or love of something very often, but to hear him tell me that he was proud and that he would stand next to me when I lost made me feel more pleasure then if I were to win the damn thing.
"Samuel!" Toby bellowed from behind me. I've been hearing him calling my name for the past ten minutes. But I was too tired to move or shout back. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"I'm watching the waves," I mention.
Silence.
"You do realize it's dark outside, right?" Toby mentioned. Leave it to him to ruin a resting and relaxing mood. "Your mother has been calling me all night."
"She calls every night," I roll my eyes. That woman calls too much.
I watch from the corner of my eye as Toby paced in the sand, looking down, almost as if he was plotting something evil if the sand attempted to get in his shoes again. I smile secretively.
"CJ thinks we should get drunk." Toby mentioned. "There's too much sand around here!"
"It's a beach," CJ walked over with three glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. She's my life savior.
"Shut up."
Oh, how I've missed the CJ and Toby bickering.
"Want me to sing again?" CJ joked as she sat down next to me and handed me a glass. "Sit down Toby."
"In the sand?" He asks, seriously.
"Toby," CJ smirked at me while debating. "It doesn't bite. Just talk to it nicely."
"Shut up." Is all he said and sat next to her, with his back towards the ocean.
"I'm making a toast," CJ filled each glass and handed them around. "To a job well done, and to getting back to the White House tomorrow before Toby's arrested again."
"Amen," Toby raises his glass in compliance and inhales his drink.
I watch as CJ messes around, tossing sand over in Toby's lap, and I watch as he comes up with ways to kill her for it. They're enjoying. I'll miss these two.
"No more!" Toby tossed a handful of sand in CJ's direction, making her duck down.
"Poor sport," CJ managed a chuckle as she tossed a larger amount at Toby. "How're you doing Sam?" She ignored Toby's cursing and looked at me.
"I'm okay," I lie. "I'm going to miss you two," I say seriously.
"Why?" Toby said, which makes me realize I haven't told them my decision yet. "We're all leaving tomorrow for the White House to get back to normalcy, or close to it." He glares at CJ, who's still egging him on with the sand. "I'm going to bury you in that sand if you throw anymore in my direction."
"I'm staying," I blurt out as CJ dumps a large amount of sand over Toby's head and starts to run off. I think my statement stunned them, since both stopped moving and looked at me with shock. "Now I finally figured out how to get you two to stop and pay attention. I guess it's better then saying, I slept with a call girl," I joke. They still weren't moving, or blinking for that matter.
"What do you mean, you're staying?" Toby asks me.
"I've been thinking about this for a while now," I begin. "I knew coming out here that I was going to lose. It wasn't a surprise. But the election was close. Maybe if I stay and come more familiar with everyone, and allow everyone to become more familiar with me, I might have a shot during the next election."
"Sam, are you serious?" CJ questioned.
"Yes," I nod. "I think if I have more time to prepare, and I have a better handle of it then I did this time, I might be able to win next election year and show everyone that I am someone worth trusting," I look over at Toby, remembering our earlier chat. "I want to believe in myself, and I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish even the impossible."
Toby and CJ both stare at me, with concerned looks on their faces before looking at each other for one brief moment. CJ sat back down next to me and put her arms around me and gave me a hug.
"You're a good man Sam Seaborn," She whispers. "And you're strong."
"Stop smothering him," I hear Toby demand. Which caused CJ to pull back and look into my face. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and smiled.
"Game on, Sam." She nodded and stood. I followed her lead and stood as well. I didn't realize my butt could get this numb.
"I'll need some help when election time comes around though," I mention.
"And we'll be here," I hear Toby say. I half expected CJ to be the one to say that. "Anytime you need us," Toby nodded his head to make sure I understood. I nodded back.
"Thank you," I manage to choke out. This side of Toby was a weird sight to see, but it was welcomed. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."
"You make me proud Sam," Toby walked over and hugged me before I got a chance to. "No matter if you win or lose."
I hug him back, not wanting to relinquish the moment. I realize that this is a rare thing, and I should savor it while I have it. Toby doesn't hug a lot of people.
"I never get a hug," CJ joked when Toby stepped back.
"That's 'cause you throw sand at me," Toby said, keeping his eyes on me. "Good luck, Sam Seaborn."
"Thank you," I smile.
"Can we get drunk yet?" CJ mentioned, holding up the wine bottle.
"Yes."
THE END