Somewhere over the Midwest
Air Force One
Twelve Past Midnight
Sam secretly hated planes. He had almost always hated planes. It wasn't flying no; he was fine with flying. He hated the actual physical transport that flew him places. Even on Air Force One, the most protected and state-of-the-art passenger jet in the country, Sam felt unsafe. He much preferred being down on solid ground, where he knew he was in total control of his body. Up here, at 36,000 feet, he was in God's hands. And even though the President had embraced that idea whole-heartedly, Sam had his doubts.
"CJ, what the hell is he going to say?" Josh asked suddenly throwing Sam out of his panicked state and back to work. CJ, Josh, Toby and himself were all sitting in one of the four conference rooms on Air Force One trying to work through a speech surrounding the incident in Missouri, their current destination.
CJ threw her hands up in the air in defeat and Toby leaned forward across the table. "We're reluctant to see that Governor Pascal has denied the order of the President by signing this legislation into law in the great state of Missouri-,"
"Therefore prohibiting the transgender citizens of this state the same rights that should be guaranteed to them under the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964," Sam said continuing Toby's start. "In a direct violation of federal law and the Supremacy Clause of our Constitution, I am asking the Justice Department to pursue a case of legal action against the Pascal administration and…." Sam trailed off.
"And also will be asking that in this time of division," Josh continued as he paced around the room. "The people of Missouri and the people of this nation remain unified in our love for the values that hold this country together, instead of focusing on what drives us apart."
Silence overtook the room for a few seconds. Sam looked over at Toby. "It's a start."
"It's not good, yet," Toby replied plainly.
"God, Toby," Josh said running his hands through his hair. "Even Shakespeare had to start somewhere!"
"So we'll get it patched up," CJ answered, then looking over at Sam. "We should get Ainsley to look over the first draft, just to make sure we've got all of the legal shamoo right." Sam nodded and got up from his seat, making his way out of the conference room. As he left he heard Josh say a confused, 'Shamoo?' Sam smirked and shut the door on his way out. Now to find the very mysterious and very sneaky White House counsel, wherever she may be hiding.
He found her sitting criss cross in a backroom where all the files that the President carried on Air Force One were stored. He walked in the room and shut the door behind him. She didn't even look up from the box of files she was currently sifting through.
"Ainsley we need you to look over the President's press release about the incident in Missouri," he said quickly and firmly.
"Do you have a finished first draft for me?" she asked, throwing a file behind her carelessly.
"We will, in probably about an hour," he answered standing only a few feet away from her.
"Well then," she said finally looking up at him. "Why are you telling me now?"
"This is a pressing matter Ainsley," he replied, now a little bit peeved off by her demeanor. "The President needs this-,"
"No he doesn't," she said firmly staring back at him. "And no this really isn't a pressing matter, in fact, I disagree with this entire trip. I was completely fine sitting at home in D.C. with a warm cup of cocoa and watching the evening news. But no, I get a call an hour after I've left work telling me to pack my bags and meet the motorcade at Andrews ASAP. Did you know I've never even flown before Sam?"
He was shocked by her sudden blow up. He could feel the frustration rising off of her and smoking up the room as he stared back down at her.
"No," he answered quietly, "I didn't know that, but if it's any consolation, I dislike this trip just as much as you do. The difference is, I've got a job to do, no matter if I agree with its purpose or content, I have a duty to the President and to the White House to get it done."
She replied immediately and with force. "I have a job too Sam. And for the record, you can tell me to do something, and I'll do it to the best of my ability, but that doesn't mean I agree with it, even if you do."
He paused, taking a deep breath. "Okay."
"Okay," she said calmly. He turned to leave the room. "Sam," he turned back around to face her. She stood up and crossed her arms while staring back at him with a gaze that could only be described to him as sexy, because that's what he saw in her eyes. Sex. Good God. She took two steps closer to him, he froze, unsure of what to do or what she was thinking. If he reached out with his arm he could touch her, then she took another step closer. Her comment a few days ago, about her wanting to kiss him in his office caught him off guard, but now, now it was like being trapped in a cage surrounded by hungry sharks.
"Ainsley…" he murmured, her name barely escaping his lips as she got closer to him. One more step and she would be practically pushing herself up against his chest. He began to imagine it, wrapping his arms around her, taking her into him, her standing on her tiptoes as their lips met hungrily. He couldn't deny the thought of their intimacy aroused him. But before he could get too far, she took that one step closer, causing him to stop every single thought circulating through his mind. She leaned up into him, her chest only a meager inch from coming into full contact with his and whispered into his ear. Her words would stay with him for longer than any speech he could ever write.
"I like it when you tell me what to do."
Then, just as quickly as she had said those ten words, she slipped past him and out of the room, leaving him standing there in awe of her words, but mostly, in awe of her.
