Title: Claustrophobic confessions
Author: Loz
E-Mail: loz06@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Category: Leo/Margaret
Series: Stand-alone
Spoilers: Early season 3, if you're acquainted with Jordan…you're fine.
Archive (if applicable): The National Library http://westwingstories.com/library
Feedback: The good, the bad and the very ugly it's all appreciated.
Summary: "I'm going to tell the man I love, I love him." She says quietly… Silence descends again and the two look over at Leo wondering if he's going to offer anything.
Author's Notes: Thanks to eJay for hammering this one out with me…this time @ a ecent hour of the night, for going thumbs up or thumbs down on some of my ideas.
Disclaimers: Getting stuck between the third and fourth floor is no fun, neither is not owning anyone you read below. Fortunately I can do something about the first one.
*
"You can do this tomorrow Leo." Margaret says as they wait for the elevator to take them to the forth floor, the offices of Bradshaw & Grierson.
"She wants to know now." Leo replies referring to Jordan Kendall.
"You've got a preparation meeting in the morning before you go in, why doesn't she want to do it then." Margaret asks adjusting her handbag.
"Because Margaret." Leo says forcefully. "It's about my alcoholism, it's a large conversation." His voice lowers so nobody around them can hear.
"She's already here?" Margaret presses further.
"Did she accompany us back to the White House?" Leo sighs frustrated.
The doors open revealing a packed elevator. "Going up?" The operator asks.
"We'll get the next one." Margaret answers bobbing her head before Leo can open his mouth.
"It's a lunch break, you need to eat." Margaret says fumbling in her bag to reveal a health bar. She offers it over to Leo who refuses politely.
The doors open again, this time the elevator empty and Leo steps confidently inside, Margaret hovers for a second then tentatively steps after him.
"Four please." Leo instructs standing next to Margaret at the back of the elevator.
It glides up smoothly, Margaret watching the red display count one and two before the elevator jolts to a halt.
The operator with his back turned to them still, picks up the emergency phone and speaks to someone on the other end.
"I apologize for this, it won't be long." He says smiling at Leo and Margaret and then slides down the wall to sit on the floor.
"This happens often." Leo says in disbelief, dropping his briefcase to the floor.
"Never, Sir." He explains as Margaret flinches outwardly noticing for the first time the mild fear in his eyes.
Leo drops to the floor, pulling papers from his briefcase continuing to read from earlier in the day. Margaret remains the only one standing.
Her eyes scan around the small elevator, looking for escape routes. The doors are firmly closed and the escape hatch above her out of reach. She steps over to the exit doors, despite their inability to open.
"Where are we?" She asks the operator, her eyes moving to the red digital display.
"Stuck between the second and third floors as best I can tell ma'am." He replies.
"Margaret sit down." Leo says harshly, not looking up from his reading.
A thin sheen of sweat appears across her brow as her heart rate accelerates. She recognizes the symptoms of an anxiety attack, her sister having suffered them all the time. She feels the overwhelming desire to have to get out and head home quickly and that causes her to look frantically in every direction as if something might open up.
"Ma'am you're not claustrophobic are you?" The operator asks recognizing Margaret's panic.
Leo looks up for the first time noticing her shaking hands, sweaty forehead and obvious panic written on her features.
"I have to get out of here." Margaret says continuing turning looking for a way out, nausea accompanies her accelerated heart rate.
"Margaret it's all right, they're getting us out now." Leo says standing and putting two hands on her arms.
"I can't..." Her head feels light and her breathing becomes to fast with the panic.
"Sir, she's going to hyperventilate." The operator warns and Leo has little idea what to do.
"Margaret sit down and close your eyes put your head between your knees." Leo instructs as he guides her with a comforting arm around her waist down to the floor.
*
Twenty minutes later the air has become hot and oppressive, Margaret has settled but her head still remains between her legs her eyes closed, Leo understandably is becoming impatient and pulls out his phone calling Jordan.
"Get me out of your elevator." He barks before hanging up and the elevator returns to silence.
"I can't imagine being claustrophobic." The operator says breaking the silence, unconcerned with the topic given Margaret's current state. "The fear that you'll never get out of somewhere, trapped, to never tell your kids you love them again."
Leo looks up from his reading, slowly pulling his glasses from his face as he absorbs and considers what the man has just said.
"When I get out of here, I'm going to tell my kids I'm proud of them, they're good kids and I am proud of them." The elevator operator says.
There's silence and Margaret slowly puts her head up, her face a lot more relaxed.
"I'm going to tell the man I love, I love him." She says quietly.
Silence descends again and the two look over at Leo wondering if he's going to offer anything.
"I'm going to move out of the hotel and move on from Jenny." He says a touch uncomfortably and buries himself in his work again.
Moments later he looks up again, the operator staring at the escape hatch above, Margaret with her head between he knees again. He dare not ask who she was referring to, much less entertain the idea that she was referring to him.
Five minutes later the elevator jerks to life again and the doors open to reveal Jordan Kendall. Annoyed she looks down at her watch.
"There's no time now." She says pressing the button to call the elevator back.
"Where are the stairs?" Leo asks, when she points to her left, Leo leads Margaret through the fire door, leaving Jordan standing alone.
*
"You never told her." Margaret says in the car from testifying back to the White House.
"It's not something I find easy to say Margaret." Leo says looking over at her.
Her brilliant red hair bobs as she nods a silent yes answer.
"Are you Ok?" He asks for the first time after the elevator.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I was..." She begins.
"No need to apologize." Leo cuts her off as the car falls into silence again.
"You know, you're the only thing I know I can rely on." He says out of the blue as the car pulls up in front of the White House.
Josh grabs Leo's attention before Margaret can muster a reply.
*
"You should go tell that lucky guy what he means to you." Leo says as he packs up later that night, Margaret hovering in the doorway her own office in semi darkness.
"I love you." Her voice barely audible.
"Sorry?" Leo says looking over the top of his glasses, genuinely having not heard what she said.
"I love you." Margaret repeats, her voice crackled, but stronger this time.
There's no reaction from Leo, he stares stunned almost at her, absorbing what she has just said. He's always wanted to hear her say those three words but never thought she would.
"I'm sorry, I should never have told you" Her voice wobbles, put off by his lack of response she turns and runs, grabbing her purse as she flees his office.
Slowly Leo removes his glasses from his face and places them on the desk in front of him. His mind runs at a million miles and hour as he gradually begins to process everything.
As tears cradle along her bottom eyelid, Margaret breaks into a run, bumping shoulders with Sam in the corridor. He calls 'hey' to her and receives only a muffled apology. Inside a building as big as the White House she feels confined and claustrophobic, the walls closing in on her as she runs past security, hastily swiping her card on her exit.
Her thoughts are filled with having to resign and find another job. Mostly she suffers from embarrassment having just lain all her cards on the table after all these years only to receive no reply.
Leo follows her moments later.
He catches sight of her as she passes through the front gates. He raises his voice to call 'Margaret' and she stops her hasty get away but can't turn to face him.
Gently grabbing at her shoulder he turns her around to face him. "You're crying." He says softly searching his pockets for his handkerchief that he dabs away her tears with, when her face is dry he presses it into her hand willing her to keep it.
"I'm sorry, you took me by surprise." He admits.
"Forget I ever said it." Margaret asks and turns walking away again, Leo doesn't stop her, considering the moment and the few people around them and what his heart really wants to say.
"I don't want to." He calls and she stops, this time turning back to face him.
"You had the courage to say what I couldn't say all this time." He continues, Margaret as stunned as he was moments ago.
"It's cold out here, come back inside and I'll drive you home." He says walking over to her and carefully guiding her back on the grounds of the White House with a hand on the small of her back.
*
The silent car ride ends as it pulls up in front of her apartment. "I'll see you tomorrow." Leo says from the seat opposite her.
Nodding Margaret gets out listening to the car pull smoothly away as she climbs the steps and puts the key in her door. She never gets the door open; instead resting her head against the glass contemplating the major disaster she has just thrown herself into with three little words.
Tomorrow is going to awkward and uncomfortable to say the least she prepares herself and if Bartlet wins another term...
She doesn't hear the car slow to a stop or the car door close as she wonders what sort of reference she can get from Leo in light of all this. Cursing the stupid elevator and her panic she promises never to get into another elevator again...and be fitter for it.
She turns only when she hears footsteps climbing the steps behind her.
He cups both her cheeks in his hand bringing her gently down to meet her lips with his. The kiss is tentative and soft, yet reassuring of more in the future. When he breaks he smiles as he runs his hands down her arms, linking her left hand with his.
Slowly he walks backward down her stairs, one at a time smiling and only letting go of her hand when he can reach her grasp no longer.
*