Chapter 9:

"And I want you to be sure that the language is correct and in our favor in the bi-partisan health care bill Josh." Leo said as the Senior Staff finished up one of their regular staff meetings in his office.

"Anything else Leo?" CJ asked as everyone stood to leave, "That's it…Oh wait one more thing" Leo said as everyone turned back to him, "CJ I need you to sit down with the First Lady and discuss the press aspects of the current situation for when the story breaks."

"What?!" CJ exclaimed, taken aback by his complete disregard for the situation at hand as the others looked at Leo as if he were insane, "Leo, there's no way that I can go and talk to the First Lady about anything involving politics or her family at the moment."

"I agree with CJ Leo," Josh put in quickly, "Having her work with the First Lady would only unnecessarily add to the tensions around here."

"That may be true," Leo consented as he looked at Josh, "But we need to draft a press release for when the story breaks, and like it or not despite the fact that she has put herself in an awkward situation, CJ is still our Press Secretary."

"I know that Leo" CJ said, deciding that it was time for her to step back into the conversation and feeling like she was being purposefully ignored, "But the First Lady has her own Press Secretary who handles her affairs, let him deal with it."

Getting less and less patient, Leo said, "She does have her own Press Secretary CJ, but this isn't a matter of the First Lady's schedule. This is an issue that will greatly influence the President as well, and you are going to work on it."

CJ couldn't help but here his accusatory tone when he referred to the affect it would have on the President and she tried to protest once again, "Leo, it's…"

"'It's' nothing CJ," Leo snapped in frustration, "You are going to go and work with the First Lady because it is your job, end of story."

Glaring daggers at him, CJ held her tongue. "Anyone else?" Leo asked as he then sat down to read and added, "You can go."

As the others filed out of Leo's office, CJ and Toby avoiding one another like the plague, Sam lagged behind for a moment. He stood still for a minute before Leo noticed him and looked up from his reading, "What?"

"Leo I have something that I think you ought to see" Sam said hesitantly as he fingered an envelope that he had taken out of his notebook. "Alright" Leo said as he extended his hand to take the envelope.

As he handed it over Sam babbled, "It could have been a thing, but I got to it before anyone else. It was taken by a service worker on his cell phone as he was leaving the White House after work."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Leo asked as he opened the envelope. Leo fell quite as he looked at the contents of the envelope. It was pictures, just the pictures they had been afraid to find.

"Well," Leo said as he sat back against his chair. That was about all that he could really think to say. A part of him was worried about how close this had come to being a disaster, another part of him was troubled by the images the he was seeing, and the largest part of him was thankful that Sam had found these first.

Glancing back down at the pictures of CJ and the President making out against the edge of the Presidential limo, Leo looked back up at Sam and sighed, "Alright, I guess I had better go and talk to the President and you should probably go and see CJ. Thanks for coming to me with this."

"Of course Leo," Sam said as he got ready to leave, "I'm just glad that this didn't turn into a story…"

"Don't kid yourself" Leo said shaking his head, "We may have dodged this bullet, but the fact that we found these only proves that there are bound to be others."

"Yeah I know" Sam said as he walked out of Leo's office and towards CJ's where he would have to deliver the news, "But you can't blame a man for hoping."

Later that same afternoon after having had a particularly rough morning, CJ headed up to the Residence to do as Leo asked. She was not looking forward to her meeting with the First Lady and, although she had no idea how the First Lady was going to react to her, she was pretty certain that it would not make her day any better.