"I thought we could go out for dinner tonight," David Seaborn said, putting his coffee mug into the dishwasher.

Kate looked up from the list she was writing. "I feel as if I haven't seen you this week."

He wrapped his arms around her. "How about that Italian place you like? We haven't been there in a while."

"That sounds good." She kissed him. "Now I've got to run. Lena's expecting me in fifteen minutes. I should be home by five."

"I'll make a reservation for half past seven."

As she turned to go, David's cell phone rang. He glanced at it, surprised to see the 202 area code.

"I thought Sam was going sailing this weekend."

"He was. He mentioned it when he called last week, remember?"

David dropped onto one of the tall stools along the peninsula and flipped open his phone. "Hello."

"Mr. Seaborn?" a woman inquired.

"Yes, this is David Seaborn."

"Mr. Seaborn, I'm calling from Leo McGarry's office. Would you hold for him, please?"

"Is it Sam?" Kate asked.

He managed to shake his head. A call from the White House Chief of Staff? Something was very wrong. He held out his hand to Kate and pulled her close.

"What's going on?" she whispered.

"I don't know. I'm on hold for —"

"David, this is Leo McGarry."

"Leo, what's going on?"

"You know that Sam went sailing this weekend?"

"Yes, he mentioned it the last time we spoke." David tried to brace himself against the blow he knew was coming.

"The Coast Guard received a distress call from the boat Sam was on. He was knocked overboard during a squall. They're looking for him now."

"Wh…" He took a breath to steady himself. "When did this happen?"

"I got the call about an hour ago. The Coast Guard dispatched one of its boats, and they're coordinating the search. I'm sorry, but I don't have any more details than that."

"I understand."

"David, I want to assure you and Kate that everything possible is being done. The President is personally monitoring the situation, and Josh Lyman is on the way to the Coast Guard station to represent him."

Gripping Kate's hand tighter, he forced words passed the lump in his throat. "Should we come?"

There was silence at the other end of the line for a moment before Leo spoke. "Give us half an hour before you decide. In the meantime, my assistant will look into flights for you."

"That's not necessary. We can —"

"David, I have a White House full of people who will want to help. Let us handle this for you."

"All right. Thank you."

"The moment we hear anything, I'll call you immediately."

"We'll be waiting." David closed his phone and looked at Kate.

"Something's happened to Sam," she whispered.

He nodded and pulled her close. "A squall blew up, and he…" He swallowed hard. "He went overboard."

Her hands knotted in the front of his shirt. "Oh, God!"

He stood up and wrapped his arms around her, trying to find some small measure of reassurance. "The Coast Guard is already there and looking for him." He rested his cheek against her dark hair. "Sam's a good sailor, Kate. He knows what to do."

"I know, I know he is. That's the only thing that's keeping me from panicking." She pulled back to look at him. "Does Leo think we should come?"

"His assistant…" He paused, searching for a name.

"Margaret," Kate supplied. "Her name is Margaret."

He nodded, remembering stories their son had told them about the administrative assistants. Sam respected the work they did and the support they gave the Senior Staff, but at the same time, the relationships they had with their bosses amused him no end, especially his own with Cathy. "Right. Margaret's looking into flights."

"I need to go, David," Kate whispered.

"So do I. I know they'll find him, and he'll be —" He choked on the word 'alive'. "He'll be fine, but I want to be there all the same."

"We'd better start packing, then."

As Kate turned to walk away, David pulled her into his arms. She came willingly, leaning into him and resting her head against his shoulder. They had people to call, plans to make, and others to cancel. But for now, for just one minute more, they simply held onto each other.


"Josh, what's going on?" Donna asked as he jerked open the middle drawer of his desk and shuffled through the contents until he found the envelope Sam had given him months before. "Why did CJ come in?"

He started, surprised she was still there. Usually she departed at warp speed the instant he said she could leave. "Wh-what?"

"Why did CJ come in?" she repeated.

"There was…" His voice thinned out to nothing, and he had to start again. "A storm blew up, and Sam, ah, fell off the boat he was on."

Donna gasped. "What?"

"We don't know any of the details," he rushed to explain, "but the Coast Guard's already there looking for him."

Her hand went to her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Josh!"

"Listen to me," he told her firmly. "Any minute now, they're going to call and say they have him, and he's fine."

"But, if he's not —"

"No, we're not going there, Donna. Sam. Will. Be. Fine. He knows what to do."

"Has anybody called his parents? They should know what's happening."

"Leo was about to when I left his office." Shoving the envelope into his backpack, he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. "Look, I've got to go. There's a helicopter waiting for me."

"Go? Where are you going?" she called after him as he hurried down the hall.

"The President wants me to liaise with the Coast Guard. I have my cell if you need me."

She followed him, half-running to keep up. "What about Cathy? Has anybody told her?"

"I don't know. I think Bonnie's in, check with her." Josh stopped abruptly. "Look, I know I told you that you could leave, but —"

"I'll go see Bonnie and then check with Margaret. She might need an extra pair of hands."

"Thank you."

Donna managed a smile. "Sam will be fine, Josh."

"Yeah. " He turned and started away.

"You'll call when you hear something?" she called after him.

"Count on it."