A/N: We're getting so close to the end :) Stay tuned for more, very, very soon.

Washington D.C.

The West Wing

"And as you can see by last year's data, the subsidies received statewide did not accurately reflect output growth for the sector."

Ainsley snapped out of her dazed stupor and looked attentively back at the row of suited men sitting across from her at the large oak table in the Roosevelt Room. It had been a slow day at the White House and because the President and 85% of his entourage were in Brussels attending a climate summit, Ainsley had been tasked with hearing the WCFFU's (West Coast Federal Farmer's Union) complaints. Even though she had very little connection to White House policy, and absolutely zero connection to the agriculture industry, she was here. And dear God was it boring.

Now she knew why Josh had asked her to do this. Ainsley would bet fifty bucks this was his usual gig. But no, he just had to accompany the President to Brussels. Why did she never get to go on international trips? Oh yeah, that's right, because she was a Republican in a Democratic White House, and the hazing almost never ended. Well, that and she wasn't a high ranking staffer or a member of the press corp.

Ainsley apologized and tried to move on while sneaking a glance at the clock wondering when this meeting would finally be over.

"So the conclusion you have come to based on that data is?" Ainsley asked looking at the large man sitting across from her that she thought had been speaking.

The large man shot his colleagues a look and then glared at Ainsley. "That was the conclusion."

Ainsley rubbed her forehead and pretended to be distracted by the 'notes' she had been taking. In reality, her 'notes' were just little scribbles of teddy bears and stick figures. She had never been much of an artist, but if this meeting lasted for more than another hour, she could become the next Van Gogh.

"I'm sorry," Ainsley said quickly, truly not meaning to offend the union members, "but which state were we talking about?"

Ainsley watched the union leaders frown and just as she was about to apologize again, one of the doors to the Roosevelt Room opened behind her and she turned around in her chair.

"Hey Ainsley," Sam said nervously, "I need to borrow you for a second." He then looked up at the four already angry union farmers. "Sorry fellas."

Ainsley looked back to the large man whose name she had already forgotten. "I'm sure it'll be just one minute."

"We'll be here," the large man replied dryly. Ainsley gave her best fake smile and got up out of her chair quickly to meet her man in the hallway outside the room. He smiled at her as she walked outside and shut the door behind them. The hallway was eerily quiet today.

"Hey," Ainsley said flirtatiously, glad that he had come to save the day again, though this time the situation was obviously not as critical. Terribly boring, but not critical. "I'm glad you came I was-,"

Sam placed both of his hands on her shoulders delicately and looked down into her eyes like he would a child whose favorite pet had just died. He took a deep breath and then spoke. "I had dinner with my ex-fiancé last night."

Though a million questions circled around in her mind, the only thing Ainsley could manage to say was a meager "oh."

Sam sighed and took his hands off her shoulders. Why did he have to take them off? She liked them there, she wanted to be comforted, not pushed away. Was he pushing her away?

"Ainsley, I thought about not telling you. And I know that makes me a terrible person, but I just thought that if you didn't know then nothing would come of it. But it doesn't matter now because I couldn't not tell you. I felt worse about it knowing that you didn't know. But now you do know, because I'm telling you."

Ainsley recognized Sam's speech patterns. He was truly nervous about this conversation. She could always tell when Sam was anxious or nervous about something because he always ended up repeating things just using different words. She had no idea how he had ever become a speech writer for the President.

"Do you feel better now?" Was all Ainsley could muster up to say. Should she be angry? Did he expect her to be angry?

Sam let his shoulders relax. "A little. You haven't exactly said anything about it yet."

Ainsley had never been good with these types of conversations. Her wit and subtle seductiveness had exited stage right. "I guess I just don't know what to say..." she answered.

"Well…say something. Anything," Sam pleaded.

Ainsley took and deep breath. "You didn't sleep with her did you?"

Sam shook his head a thousand times. "No. Nothing like that. I mean we have before, you know, in the past, when we were engaged, before you and I were-,"

Ainsley put up a hand to stop him. "I picked up on that when you mentioned she was your ex. Do you have dinner with all your ex's or just the ones you were with seriously?"

He shot her a dirty look, but she had meant it as a joke. Apparently the ever comedic Sam Seaborn did not find this situation humorous at all. Neither did she, but she couldn't help but be easygoing around him.

"She's working for Politico now," he explained. "Doing a piece on speechwriting for the President, and Toby saw fit to set her up with me, because apparently I work with a gaggle of people who want to watch me dissipate under my ex-fiancé's closeted cruelty."

Ainsley smiled. "Gaggle, Sam?"

She saw a small smile creep up on his face and he checked his watch. "I'm expecting a call from Josh, I've got to go, but we should-,"

Ainsley leaned forward into him, placed both her hands on his chest and kissed him so quickly if someone walking by had blinked they would have missed it entirely. When she withdrew her lips from his he had the blankest expression on his face.

"Rule number two?" he asked quietly.

"Oh calm down it's not like we violated the Constitution. Besides, I've never broken a rule as strict as that one before and it felt kind of good," Ainsley smirked.

He grinned back at her before turning around and walking away.

Ainsley reentered the Roosevelt Room with a newfound consciousness and sat back down at the oak table smiling at the still frowning union leaders.

"I apologize for the interruption," Ainsley said calmly. "Now, how much taxpayer money do you want this year?"