Chapter 4a – Sneaky, Sly,

Danielle had been working for President Bartlet for a month. There were days the month had seemed to drag on. Other days it flew by. It all depended on the issues being tackled. Danielle found the more involved she was on a topic, the quicker the time would pass. After earning Sam's approval it seemed to be going constantly uphill. Yet, like with any day and person looking to be accepted, there were periods of time when she was cast aside. For the most part the Senior Staff had accepted Danielle, forgetting at times she wasn't a staff member. Soon they found reasons for her to be given perks such as F.B.I. file clearance.

"Hey Dani?" Sam answered to Danielle's question of who it was on the phone.

"What's up Samuel?"

"We're going to get you drunk. Want to come?"

Danielle looked guiltily at her computer screen, seeing the form she should send off to the Associated Press headquarters in Los Angeles. Sam seemed to read her mind. "Dani it's a Friday night. And I outrank you. Ergo, I order you to come and let us get you drunk."

"All right." Danielle shut her computer down, grabbing her jacket before heading to Sam's office. There Donna, C.J., Josh, Sam and Toby were waiting. "Why are we doing this? Why do I need to get drunk?"

"Methinks she doth protests too much." Josh joked, as Sam explained. "Well I believe it has something to do with working hard and the effects of alcohol on one's system."

"Basically you want to see how drunk you can get me before I start babbling all my secrets from L.A.?"

Josh looked pleased. "Told you she was good."

"Honestly guys. I should finish my report."

"You work too hard and you aren't even getting paid for it. Have some fun."

It took them another five minutes of convincing and ten minutes of walking before they reached a smoky bar called the Blue Duck Tavern. Inside Sam ordered a round of beers for everyone while they attempted to find a table. The bar was crowded, and yet, Danielle hadn't expected anything less. It looked like the hangout for overworked bureaucrats on a Friday night, not quite ready to go home. Sitting down, she sipped her beer, wondering how in the world they had offered to take her out to drink.

"So do you enjoy working for the leader of the free world?"

Danielle mocked a confused face. "I work for the King of Sweden?"

Everyone grinned, taking swigs of their own beverage. "Honestly though, they do have better health care than we do."

"Don't remind me!" Josh groaned, covering his eyes with a hand. "I never want to see anything about our health care system again."

"Josh has had meetings on the Hill all week about health care reform."

"Have you had anything about parental leave?"

"Dani!" Growled Josh. "I don't care."

"How can you not? In Sweden the parents get up to eighteen months of paid leave, and three of those months have to be of the 'minority' parent, or the parent that works the hardest. They get one hundred percent of their wages if they take that time. Now how come corporate America cannot do that?"

"Because we're stuck in the nineteenth century philosophy that women should be caretakers and shouldn't work. That's why." C.J. said, watching as Danielle's eyes lit up in anger. Sam caught the anger rising, and put a hand on Danielle's arm, trying to jokingly stop her. "Don't get started. It's a Friday night."

"Fine then. By Monday I'll give Mr. McGarry a report on increasing parental leave in the United States."

"How much do we have currently by law?"

"Well…none."

Toby looked amused at the argument now taking place between C.J. and Danielle before he noticed something she said. "Wait, wait, wait. Dani did you just call Leo, Mr. McGarry?"

"Yes?"

"Why?"

"Because it's a sign of respect."

"You respect me right?"

"Yes."

"But you don't call me Mr. Ziegler. It's Leo Dani."

Danielle nodded, taking the message to heart, sitting back to listen to the other conversations that had cropped up during that time period. But she didn't get much of a chance. C.J. was right back on her tail, asking about parental leave.

"Why do you care so much about it?"

"Because no one else does. Because women miscarry far too often because they are overworked and underpaid – or get injured or sick after giving birth because they were forced to provide for their family by working. Besides, it has been proven that children that are able to spend time with their parents in the first few months have better relationships overall with their parents."

"And you are still going to write a report for Leo?"

"Yes. Someone has to stand up for those that can't."

"Like you did for me?" A voice rang out, causing everyone to turn their heads. Someone looking almost identical to Danielle was standing a few feet away. Danielle paled, standing up. "Jenna."

Author's Note: This is just a bit of a preview of what the fourth chapter will be. I'm having a terrible time writing the argument between Dani and Jenna, and I don't want to delay it just because of my muse's inability to cooperate.

"Me thinks she doth protest too much" is from Shakespeare's Hamlet.

The information about parental leave in Sweden is correct. I found the information from my sister's college term paper on the subject.

I hope you all enjoyed this snippet. Questions, comments, suggestions and criticisms are all greatly appreciated.

Oh! And for the person who asked for more Sam, there will be more in the 4B chapter. I'm also debating on having Sam like Dani if anyone wants to throw their opinion in the ring.