Chapter 14

Sam worked for an hour on the speech. By the time Toby came back he had reworked half of the middle section and added a list of ideas for the last section. He'd started off by writing but then Ginger had knocked on the door and told him that Toby had said he might need a hand. Sam noticed the pen and pad she was carrying and smiled. He leaned back in the chair and dictated his ideas to her. Toby came into his office to find Sam leaning back, feet on his coffee table and hands behind his head. "Let me see," he said as he looked at Ginger's pad. "Good," he nodded then added, "Get your feet off my table." They walked together to Leo's office.

"Crab!" They both looked in surprise at Leo and watched as he walked to the door. "I said crab; you got me ham and cheese! Crab isn't code for get me whatever you feel like. If I say crab then get me crab."

Margaret looked up from her typing totally unfazed by Leo's rant. "I saw the crab. It looked iffy. I got you ham and cheese because one time in New Hampshire you said nothing filled you up like a ha-"

"I'm closing the door on you. I don't do that often but I'm doing it now."

"Don't make crumbs," was Margaret's parting shot as the door was closed.

Toby sat down on the sofa next to Josh when it became clear that Sam wasn't going to and waited for Leo's sandwich rant to fizzle out.

"Ham and cheese," he muttered as he lifted the corner away from the pack and shook his head. "You know what?" he asked of no one in particular, "the funny thing is just after Margaret left with my lunch order I kind of changed my mind about the crab and had a hankering for ham and cheese." He shook his head, sandwich fillings a cause of puzzlement known only to him.

CJ had yet to arrive and there was a sudden silence in the room while they waited. Leo picked up a report from his desk while Josh sat staring rigidly at the carpet. Toby gestured for Sam to sit as well but he shook his head and remained standing near the door.

The door opened and CJ entered walking quickly to the sofa where she sat between Josh and Toby. Instantly aware of the tension in the room she shifted uncomfortably and waited for Leo to say something.

"Okay, so here's where we're at. The story's out there and there's not a lot we can do about that. There's gonna be two camps on this: those who think we should say nothing and those who think we should confront it and maybe even use it to our advantage." He stared at Sam. He was looking back at Leo but his head was down. "Get your head up, son." There was no admonishment in Leo's tone but rather a show of support and concern. "I'm in the confront them camp. CJ is too. Toby?" All eyes shifted to the sofa.

"I've spoken to Counsel's Office and I think we've got to go up against this. Investigate, air it, and then move on."

Leo nodded and looked to the other side of the sofa. "Josh?"

"I, er," Josh cleared his throat. "I think we go for it." Painfully aware of his comments last night he was treading carefully in order not to upset Sam in any way.

"That's good, Josh. What exactly is it you think we should go for?"

Josh nodded, acknowledging his ambiguous answer. He sat up straighter and cleared his throat more forcefully. "I think we go after the source of the accusation and then we go after the people responsible for the attack and then we go-"

"Hey, maybe we could invade a few countries while we're going after so many people. Is there any way we can get everyone connected to this on one small undefended island then just bomb them all!"

Nobody replied. Toby shot Sam a frown and CJ glanced uneasily between Josh and Sam.

"Sam, Josh, find a way to at least be able to sit in the same room together. I'm not going to get involved in what's going on here but sort it out." Both men nodded and looked suitably abashed although Toby saw the edge of anger lingering on Sam and it concerned him more than the outburst had.

Leo walked to the front of his desk. "CJ, get ready for the briefing; The White House is looking into the accusation etc etc. Toby, work with Josh on a statement. Actually work on two. One that addresses the Gillmore incident and one that doesn't."

"So we write a statement in response to an accusation that Sam was beaten up in revenge for what happened to Gillmore but we don't actually mention Gillmore?"

"Yeah, it's a bit like writing a speech about increased funding without actually saying how much, where it's going to or where it's coming from. We've done that before haven't we, Toby?"

Toby's small smile was matched by CJ's and for a moment there was a lessening of tension in the room.

"Sam?" Sam looked up at Leo, immediately worried that his head had dipped again. "The President would like a word."

Toby shot a look at Sam and saw the surprise flash across his face. It hadn't occurred to him that The President might want to speak to Sam and Toby wondered if he was up to it or if the anger that still seemed to be clinging to him would manifest itself again. He watched as Sam took a barely perceptible sharp intake of breath then straightened and left the room.

Sam loved the Oval Office in the evening when the hubbub of the day had faded away. He loved it in the afternoon when the chink of china could be heard alongside discussions, but, he loved it most in the morning. He loved how the colours of faded fabric and rich carpets were brought to life by a sun that seemed to focus entirely on the room, each ray directing his eye to a piece of history that he would never tire of being reminded of.

It was sunny now. He even had to squint slightly as he walked towards Bartlet and returned the warm shake of his hand. Bartlet gestured to the sofa and then sat in a chair opposite. "I'm not going to get involved with all the stuff with Gillmore. Leo's handling that, unless you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly, sir," Sam replied.

"No, I didn't think you would." The President sat back in his chair and folded his arms. "So, how are you doing?"

"How am I doing?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm doing fine. How are you doing, Mr President?"

"I'm doing fine as well." There was a short silence. "Seeing as how we're both fine and dandy, how do you feel about accompanying me to The Kennedy Center tonight to listen to Mozart's Divertimento in E-flat major?"

Sam raised his eyebrows and was about to say how honored he was by the invite but then a small smile ghosted across his face. "I thought you weren't going to get involved with all the stuff about Gillmore, Sir?"

"I'm not, but I don't see anything wrong with the President and one of his most trusted and dedicated members of staff going to listen to Mozart as played by the Kennedy Center's Chamber Players."

Sam returned the President's gaze. "Neither do I."

"Good!" Bartlet stood and clapped his hands. "It starts at eight. I'll see you back here then." He watched as Sam stood and added, "Josh will be coming along too."

Sam stilled and looked up sharply at Bartlet. "Oh."

"Well it was CJ's idea," Bartlet hedged sensing Sam's agitation. "It's not a bad idea. If people are going to come at Josh or you then I think it's not a bad idea that they're reminded exactly who's on your side." Sam nodded slowly. "Let's show them that whatever's being said out there, we're not divided in here. Show them that you and Josh have moved on and put an end to some of those rumours."

"Well, there might be a problem with that, sir."

"Oh?"

"We haven't exactly moved on. I mean we haven't moved on as yet."

Bartlet sat down again and gestured to Sam to do the same. "Haven't moved on in what sense?"

"In the sense that the last time I saw Josh he was bleeding quite impressively from an injury to his nose which I had caused with my fist."

"Ah, in that sense." Bartlet nodded thoughtfully, "CJ didn't mention that when she was briefing me earlier."

"No, sir."

"Can you promise me you won't try to punch him again during the Divertimento?"

Sam smiled and nodded. "I can."

Bartlet returned the smile. "Okay. I'll see you back here at eight then." He stood and Sam followed his lead and thanked him. He was halfway to the door when the President stopped him. "My support, Sam, it's more than just a photo op." Sam raised his eyebrows, surprised that the President would think he didn't know that. "And, it really is very good to see you here again. You've been missed." Sam thanked the President and they stood in silence until Bartlet nodded and Sam returned the gesture and left the room.

"He's taking me to the Kennedy Center tonight," Sam announced as he walked into Toby's office.

"Yeah, listen-"

"To listen to Mozart's Divertimento."

"I know, listen, he told you-"

"I'm more a Beethoven fan but I'm willing to partake of some Mozart if-"

"He told you Josh was going?" Toby finally interrupted and then waited as Sam sat down on the sofa before answering.

"Yes, he did point out that minor detail. I'm more of a Toby fan at the moment but-"

Toby interrupted him again. "Are you going to be okay with that?"

Sam sighed and settled back against the cushions. "I don't see that I have much choice. Anyway, CJ's right, it will send a strong message if me and Josh are seen with the President, for Josh especially. I may have my differences with Josh right now but I wouldn't deny him an opportunity like this." Sam shrugged and reached for a muffin from the coffee table. "Besides, I've got to work with him. I can't be picking and choosing which functions we attend together."

"Those were for my meeting." Toby rearranged the muffins to hide the gap in the basket. "So long as you know what you're getting into. I don't want you coming back tonight telling me you've been played by CJ and the President."

"Aw, Toby, you're going to wait up for me! That is so sweet of you."

"You're making crumbs," Toby growled.

Sam carefully pulled his shirt into a makeshift tray and emptied the rest of the crumbs into the trashcan. "I better get going. I'll need to go back to my place to pick up my suit. I'll see you back here?"

Toby nodded and watched as Sam made his way out of the Bullpen only to be accosted by Ginger and Bonnie. He looked back down at his work or rather the work which had been salvaged by Sam and tried to ignore the nagging feeling that despite his words, Sam was nowhere near ready to face Josh yet.

"I don't want to go." It was as close to a whine as Josh got and Donna frowned at him.

"Okay, well I'll tell the President, you can tell CJ."

Josh held his arms up in surrender. "I know I have to go but I don't want to go is what I'm saying."

Donna kicked the door to his office closed and walked over to his desk. The banter disappeared as she leaned over it looking straight at him. "Is this your Mozart/falling asleep thing or the other thing?"

"What other thing?" Josh asked, genuinely puzzled.

"The 'I can't cope with the thought of seeing Sam or even being in the same room as him because I feel guilty and he feels mad and the last time we saw each other he nearly broke my nose' thing."

Josh tipped his head to one side. "That's a long thing."

"Josh!" Donna folded her arms and stared at Josh daring him to dodge the subject again.

Josh's smile disappeared and he raked a hand through his hair. "Of course I don't want to see Sam again. I said something I…"

Donna walked around the desk and stood beside Josh's chair. "It doesn't matter what you said. It's all in the past. Sam knows that you were just upset. He won't hold it a-"

"Just listen. Stop talking for one minute and listen!"

Donna waited patiently for Josh to collect himself and continue.

"I can live with the Gillmore stuff. We'd have got past that eventually. He was pissed at me for more than that anyway. We hadn't spoken, not properly, for months. I think what I did and how Sam reacted to it was just a sort of, I don't know, it sort of made all our differences magnified." Josh looked up at Donna and she nodded, encouraging him to continue. "But I said some stuff…" Josh shook his head in self reproach. "I said he was known more for being my friend than he was as a politician." He didn't need to look at Donna's face to picture her reaction so he didn't, he looked down at his shoes. "And I don't think it's true and I don't know why I said it."

Donna thought before replying. "You need to unsay it then. You can't keep blowing up at him. What you said in the restaurant that night was bad enough. Tell him you were speaking in anger, emotion, whatever. But you need to show him also. You need to find a way to make him know you didn't mean it."

Josh waited and then held his hands out. "Well? You're meant to carry on and tell me how to do it."

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Sorry, Josh, but I don't. I do know that ignoring him isn't helping too much."

"I'm not ignoring him!"

"Oh so that's why you nearly broke your neck trying to get back to your office when you heard Ginger tell me that Sam was in."

Josh sighed deeply. The fact that he didn't bother denying the accusation proved Donna was right. "I just want to make things right. I want to stop feeling like this. Sam doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve a friend like me."

Donna shook her head slowly and smiled. "Josh, no one deserves you. I often ask myself what I did to deserve, you. I come to the conclusion it must have been something pretty bad. It's not your choice to make. You don't get to walk away because it's getting difficult. You have to let Sam decide if you're worth it."

Josh raised his eyebrows and cocked his head. "Isn't that a bad premise for someone deciding if they want to be my friend?"

Donna smiled more widely. "I don't know. I manage to find something redeemable about you. I'm still here aren't I, not making you coffee?"

"Talking of which-"

"Puppy eyes and a sad frowning face and it's still not enough to make me want to get you a cup of coffee."

Josh nodded at her retreating form. "I bet Ginger makes Sam coffee." He peered around the doorjamb. "I bet she thinks he's worth it," he called out to her.