A name. It was a simple, sleep addled sound mumbled in a dream. Innocent and easy to dismiss. One singular name, something so minor and yet it could be enough to cause major damage.

Hearing Cadence groan in her sleep had disturbed Tom from his own but when he had heard, or thought he heard, the name she cried out for, he felt his stomach tighten with unease.

The middle-aged politician looked down at the young woman in his bed wondering if this was the price he had to pay for the pleasure. He hated the Vice President for planting the doubt in him as he watched her twitch under the sheets and waited impatiently for her to call the name again.

Tom or John? What had she said? Who did she want? Tom filled with frustration. Should he demand an answer?

When she continued to moan in her sleep, he felt compelled to wake her from the disturbed dream. With a little shake and a murmur of her name, Tom urged her to wake up.

Cadence's eyes opened wearily, blurred and sullied with sleep in the corners. Confused as to where she was and what was going on, she half-bolted up from the bed in a tangle of sheets, turning to Tom with wide eyes. "What?" She let out a groan of pain as her head pounded with the sudden movement. "Tom..." She glanced down at her attire and frowned at the Republican endorsing t-shirt. "Well this is cute," she murmured sardonically as she reached up a hand to clutch the back of her skull.

A grin slipped out before Tom could help it. She was a mess of tangled hair and bloodshot eyes coupled with the faint odour of morning sweat and alcohol and yet he still felt that strong, sometimes inexplicable attraction to her he always did.

"You looked like you were having a bad dream," Tom explained.

Cadence rubbed her brow and continued to groan. "Yeah." She fell silent as she contemplated the dream and tensed slightly.

Tom watched as her free hand drifted up to clutch at her right side where an odd T shaped scar lingered. He didn't even think she knew she was doing it.

"Colombia?" he ventured a guess quietly.

Cadence froze up and stared back at him with a haunted gaze.

Tom forgot his own concerns briefly as he took in her stare, she was too young to have such a weighted fear in her eyes. He leaned over to close the gap between them, reaching to pull her against him in a gentle hug.

Cadence pressed the side of her head against Tom's chest and closed her eyes. Her head was pounding, her throat dry and her eyes felt heavy and sore. She just wanted to curl up and sleep some more, to push away the fact that it was Christmas Day and she had a long day ahead of her.

Figuring Tom deserved a little better as she recalled a vague memory of announcing that she had vomited on his steps, Cadence attempted to waken herself up a bit better.

Tom smiled when he felt her hand slid down his chest before reaching over the band of his boxers.

"Cady," he said softly, "I hate to interrupt, really I do, but I'm a little concerned you're trying to change the subject here."

Tom tensed slightly as Cadence took a grasp of his member and slid her hand gently up and down it.

"Why would you think that?" she quipped lightly.

Tom gave a quiet chuckle at this even as he continued to tense in her tender grasp as he felt himself grow hard. "Cady," he groaned out her name as he closed his eyes momentarily and shook his head. "Come on now, you do this to avoid talking about things."

"What?" she queried in annoyance.

Tom opened his eyes and found her grey-blue stare fixed upon him with a fierce scorn.

"I don't mean always," he protested, "but come on, I mentioned Colombia in Chicago and we had sex, I mention it here and well..."

"I mention your family and go for your pants and you don't stop me," Cadence accused as she withdrew her hand at last and pulled back from him.

Tom winced at her accusation and frowned as he felt the familiar burn in his nostrils that signalled an oncoming nosebleed. "Cady..." Tom trailed off and sighed as he looked at her sympathetically. "You're right, I'm sorry. I seek the distractions as well and it's Christmas Day, it's not fair for me to try and force some sort of therapeutic confession from you."

Tom pinched his nose and smiled at her. "Cady, I very much want to be with you but I don't want to be just a distraction." He fell silent again thinking that there was more he wanted to say. That he didn't want to be the distraction because she couldn't have the Vice President, that his real fear was that he was the consolation prize, the man to annoy her old lover and get a rise from him. Was that it? Was she dating Tom to annoy John rather than Leo? Tom wondered grimly if he would drive himself mad with these thoughts. He knew he wasn't being fair, to him or to her.

Cadence blinked in confusion as she tried to figure out what Tom meant. Her memories of last night were fuzzy and her skull was pounding so fiercely it was difficult to focus on what was going on.

"Tom, what are you talking about? If I didn't want to date you I wouldn't, I don't use people," she snapped at him as she folded her arms. The defensive gesture was ruined quickly when she had to raise a hand to her pounding head in a failed gesture to soothe the pain.

Tom turned away as he felt a damp trickle slip out of his nostrils. He searched his bedside cabinet for a tissue and found a crumpled one near the clock. He grasped at it and pushed it up to his nose. He used the moment to compose his thoughts without having to look at her. He had two choices- tell her what John had told him or try and pretend it had never happened, at least until John brought up again. Tom didn't know if the Vice President would mention the matter again but he still didn't know why John had said it in the first place.

Tom turned back to the young woman with a wary stare as he lowered the tissue.

"John Hoynes," Tom said the name calmly. The man had taunted and humiliated him at work and then added another final, mocking blow with his revelation of being with Cadence. Thinking she might have called for him in her sleep was too much for Tom. He knew he couldn't compete with the man if it was more than physical.

Cadence continued to look baffled as she stared back at Tom. "I don't understand..." She shook her head in helpless confusion.

"He told me," Tom explained wearily suddenly feeling tired again. A bitterness overcame him as he felt the blood run down his face streaking it red. He was hungover as well, tired, sore and thoroughly fed up with how things had gone for him the past couple of days.

"He enjoyed telling me how he fucked you," Tom snapped as his anger finally came through. His blue eyes chilled Cadence with the sudden cold anger in them. "I wanted to forget it, damn it I did but it's driving me crazy Cady wondering what the hell there is between you two. I can't be second best to a married man!"

Cadence shrank back from Tom's accusations, upset and alarmed she didn't even know which emotion to settle on. She could hear her heart pounding, the sound was almost deafening in her ears and added to the constant pangs in her head. Shock flooded through her. The idea that John would have told anyone about their relationship was astonishing in itself but the fact that he had chosen Tom for his confessor beggared disbelief.

"Tom-" she attempted a protest but it faded before she could conclude it.

Cadence's head pounded harder as a flurry of confused thoughts jumbled through it. She didn't know what to say or even what to think. When and why had John told him?

"No." Tom got out of the bed as he felt his anger threaten to overwhelm him. Why had he asked her about it? What did he think she would say? Could say?

"He's married God damn it, why the hell would you have ever let that happen?" The accusation was out before Tom could help it as disgust filled his blue stare.

Tom shook his head and headed to the bedroom door, opening it swiftly to escape before Cadence could respond. He had noticed the damp glint in her eyes as his gaze had condemned her and he knew that if she started to cry he might weaken and embrace her and he couldn't do that. He had thought he could hear her out but he didn't want to hear her explanation, he feared it would be lies and what could she say anyway? John had been married and still was, if his marriage didn't bother her why should her status of having a boyfriend matter? Tom felt a roll of nausea and couldn't decide if it was connected to his late night drinking, his nosebleed or the current conversation.

Tom's eyes widened as they met the sheepish faced Josh standing in the hallway.

"I...I was trying to leave," Josh said awkwardly as he gestured pointlessly behind him with both hands to the waiting staircase.

Tom nodded weakly as he dabbed at his nose, stepped out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him. "I should have listened to your warnings," he murmured. He gave Josh a frosty stare and quipped acerbically, "are you going to pretend you didn't hear any of that?"

Josh looked back at Tom with fatigue and a practised calm. He looked a little worse for wear, last night's clothes were sitting dishevelled on him, his jacket was open, his shirt wrinkled and bunched at his shoulders and his belt unbuckled. His curls were a mass of entangled waves and his skin was wan as he too fought against the punishing morning headache of a night too well celebrated with drink.

"It's Christmas Day," Josh reminded him. "I think for everyone's sake I'm just going to pretend I wasn't here."

Tom's lip curled up in disgust. "You Democrats do love the dirty secrets," he said bitterly.

Josh reached a hand up to his brow, trying to push back the pain budding there. "Tom, I get you're mad but I don't want to be involved and I..." He lowered his hand and met Tom's icy gaze. "I actually don't want to fall out with you over this," he admitted. "You're a good guy Tom, last night was...fun." It was awkward to say and Josh knew his timing was terrible. Tom didn't give a damn about a night out drowning his sorrows with an acquaintance, he was reeling from a bombshell revelation about his girlfriend that Josh most definitely was not touching.

Josh had been just as shocked as Cadence when he had heard Tom yell that John had told him about the affair and even as he didn't want to think about it he was thinking about it. Was John so bold, so desperate to rub salt in the wound he'd caused Tom in the House? Josh didn't think so, John could be a bastard, no mistake, but to risk his own reputation on a vindictive move like that, that was just a little too personal. Josh wondered if John was simply jealous of Tom and determined that he should have what he couldn't- Cadence.

Josh tensed as he heard Cadence's soft sobs through the door as she tried and failed to stop them. He shouldn't feel pity for her but for some reason it was all he felt this morning.

"Tom..." Josh held up a hand, gesturing towards the door before he let it fall by his side again. He was not getting involved, he was not. "Nevermind," he muttered quietly.

Josh turned for the staircase and hurried off.

Tom stood where he was, exhausted, angry and upset. He didn't know what to do now. He was terrified to go back in and face Cadence, fearful that her tears would weaken his resolve but how could he forgive her for loving another man? Was it even love? Was she still in love with him? If she wasn't then was he being fair? She was entitled to a past. Had he overreacted? Had he even heard her say John in her sleep? Tom winced as he reached a hand up to his dark hair and found it stiff with dried in gel. Damn it, he couldn't be sure, she could have called for Tom and he had let the paranoia that had gnawed at him all night finally get the better of him.

Tom swallowed hard before he turned back to the bedroom door.

Tom headed back into his bedroom, continuing to dab at his nose as he stepped back to the bedside and gazed down at the young woman in guilty apology.

"Cady I don't want or need to know what happened between you and him, that's not my business," he said with a forced calm. "Just tell me, is it over? Are you done with him?"

Cadence stared up at Tom in surprise as she rubbed at her tear stains with the back of her hand. "I'm not like that," she snapped viciously as her eyes narrowed into a glare. "I get it, you've decided I'm a whore now, a homewrecker, a tramp, all that!" She shuddered slightly and her hands embraced her torso loosely, her left hand reaching round her stomach for the unseen scar again. "If I fucked a married man," she snarled savagely, "then of course I must be cheating on my boyfriend as well. Well fuck you and your judgement Tom!"

"Hey!" he protested angrily as he glowered down at her and held his hands up in protest. "That is not what I meant!"

Tom realised it was a lie even as he shouted it. Of course it was what he meant. "I just want to know if you still have feelings for him," he insisted. "I'm entitled to know that much," he added defensively. "He is married, that's right, so you can't exactly date him and he makes a point of telling me that he..." Tom couldn't say it again so he awkwardly switched the word. "That he slept with you, so I have to wonder are you dating me because you can't date him? Am I just the runner up here?"

"You make it sound like it's a contest," Cadence dismissed his questions with an irate answer.

She slackened her hands by her side and stood up from the bed. "Tom, I wasn't with him when you asked me out and I thought only of dating you when I said yes. It wasn't about getting back at my dad and the president or some fling for a distraction or anything else you've accused me of. I just thought, finally a nice guy to date," she said miserably, "someone who wasn't going to use me or lie to me or make a dirty secret of me. Someone who just wanted to date me, uncomplicated, no deception and that's what I wanted. Just a nice, sincere, happy relationship but Tom, if I'm making you unhappy and paranoid then, there's no point."
Cadence shrugged before she bent down to reached for her dress which lay in a pool of silver sequins on the floor.

Tom watched quietly as Cadence turned away from him to slip off the t-shirt. He felt numb as he stared at her, wondering how many times the Vice President had looked at her naked form and touched it.

Tom didn't offer a protest when Cadence was dressed and walked past him for the door. There was just a hushed, blunt murmur from her that she'd need a taxi and a nod from Tom in answer. She hadn't answered his question after all- did she still have feelings for John Hoynes?


It was just after one when Cadence arrived at her father's hotel. She had been ready to head up to his room and was surprised when she met him in the lobby.

"Cadence, late as ever," he scolded her as he glanced at his watch.

"Only by ten minutes," she protested as she stared back at him, wondering why he was wearing a long, black, woollen coat. "Are you going somewhere?" she pried.

"We are," Leo retorted, purposely vague. "Of course you're not dressed for much travelling, Cady it's freezing out there, what happened to your coat?"

"I left it at home," she retorted quietly.
Despite the absence of a coat, Cadence had made a valiant effort for the day. She was wearing a soft, crimson jumper and a pleated black skirt coupled with black, woollen tights and a pair of sparkling red shoes. Her hair was down, styled in loose waves, she had bronzer at her cheeks and heavy concealer to hide the bags under her eyes and a dusting of gold eyeshadow to banish the purple shade of her eyelids. There was little to indicate how troubled her morning had been.

"So, where are we going?" Cadence demanded.

Leo started walking, pausing to place a hand about her daughter's shoulders and turn her back to the main entrance.

"Dad," she pried suspiciously as she arched her eyebrows slightly.

Leo smiled at her, drawing her to a halt as they stepped outside again. He drew her into a quick hug and murmured, "Merry Christmas sweetheart and thank you for spending it with me."

Cadence hugged him back, surprised as her mouth quivered and a lump formed momentarily in her throat before she banished it for a smile. She certainly wasn't feeling festive but determined that she would just forget the morning and make herself enjoy the day for her father's sake.

"Merry Christmas dad," she replied cheerfully.

As they broke, a black limousine pulled up and Leo directed his daughter towards it.

"Um what's with the secrecy?" Cadence quipped her father herded her towards the car. She glanced to the man who had opened the door for her, a perfectly stoic faced, black and white suited guard. "Do you know where we're going?" she demanded.

"Cadence just get in, it's freezing," Leo chided her.

Cadence obeyed, slipping down to a soft, leather seat, appreciating the warmth of the car despite her suspicions.

Leo took a seat opposite his daughter and waited for the door to shut and the car to start moving before he spoke.

"We got an invite to lunch," Leo explained.

Cadence stared back at her father with a slight frown, knowing his vagueness was deliberate. "By whom?" she demanded.

Leo cracked a smile at this. "Whom, oh very good," he murmured sardonically with a nod, "glad those elocution lessons you got finally paid off."

"Dad," Cadence said sternly as her frown deepened.

Leo's smile widened even as he waved off her scorn. "Alright, by Jed and Abbey."

"What?!" Cadence shrieked out her shock before she could help it.

"Well don't sound too pleased!" Leo retorted even as his blue eyes sparkled with mirth. "They invited us a week ago," he admitted, "but I knew you'd find an excuse not to go, so I kept quiet about it. I mean it's a wonderful thing for them to do and Zoey is going."

"And Ellie," Cadence said flatly as she folded her arms and directed her gaze to the tinted windows.

"Yes Ellie," Leo admitted, "although I'm not sure how you know that."

"She was at Zoey's last night," Cadence confessed. That she remembered, some of it was a little foggy but she knew it had not been good and that Ellie had not enjoyed seeing Cadence again. Robbie had been mentioned as well, Cadence remembered that too but she couldn't recall the details and supposed she didn't want to.

"Ah. Well, it's been years since you two have really seen each other and you were once so close. You must miss her."

"She didn't miss me," Cadence responded bluntly.

"You only think that," Leo scorned softly. "Anyway, it's going to be a lovely lunch so you can make amends."

"It's going to be a long lunch," Cadence corrected moodily as she continued to frown.

Leo shook his head. "God it's just like when you were kids and complaining because we had to see your grandparents. You're an adult now Cady, don't huff."

Cadence resisted the urge to pull a face at her father. First Tom, now Ellie or had it been Ellie then Tom? Cadence was confused. She figured bitterly that Ellie might give her a good distraction at least. She was still shocked by Tom's revelation and anytime her mind wandered back to it her stomach squirmed and she felt an urge to throw up. A large part of her wanted to get on the phone to John and start screaming at him for an explanation, Christmas or not, but that was irrational and she knew it was also risky and foolish and she was unlikely to get hold of him anyway. She wanted to talk to Tom again too but she didn't know what she could or should say to him.

The drive to the White House passed in silence. Cadence kept her arms folded as she tried not to think about the day.

Leo watched his daughter, wondering what was on her mind this time and hoping that she and Ellie would come to some sort of peace today. They had always been close growing up, easy given they were of the same age, but then the old cliché of a boy between two girls had happened and the friendship was fractured and then the boy they had both loved so dearly had died and no one really knew how to repair the damage left from it.

When they arrived at the White House and passed through the expected security, they were greeted by a delighted Abbey who offered them merry sentiments coupled with light hearted hugs and kisses. There was only a slight sense of fond familiarity as the family occupied the table for their starter. The surroundings were not the grand, oak table of the Bartlet country home or the modern furnished,, long, polished mahogany table of the Chicago town house but instead it was the borrowed dining room of the White House. A room glorious, beautiful and full of so much history that it had become impersonal. The decorations came from a choice of approved selections, there was no chance of going off the grid and putting up the tacky snowflakes of gold and silver that the girls had tangled up over many years or the multi-coloured fairy lights that clashed with everything. The setting was festive yes but in an orderly fashion, there was no sloppiness to the décor and no suggestion of baubles and beads hung with love rather than by design.

The food was the same- exquisite and expensive, cooked by some five star chef who stayed unseen in the kitchen. It wasn't Abbey's beautifully cooked turkey with Jenny's butter laden mash and the always ever so slightly charred biscuits that Zoey and Cadence had attempted.

Ellie sat at the table as a modest daughter under silent protest. Her outfit was plain, in shades of brown it looked better suited for an office than a Christmas Day's lunch. She smiled sincerely for her sister and parents and showed an honest fondness for Leo but to Cadence she was coolly polite and indifferent.

Liz, Mallory and Jenny's absences were notable and Cadence was surprised by the pain she felt from experiencing her first real Christmas without both her sister and mother. Sure she'd avoided the past two but that had been an avoidance across the board with everyone, this was different. Jenny's absence in particular felt too permanent and it made Cadence sorrowful and reaching for the sparkling wine all too eagerly.

When a break came in the courses, Zoey was quick to get Cadence alone in a corner of a sitting room whilst Jed and Leo departed to discuss some pressing matters.

"So, you got home safe last night then?" Zoey quipped with a put on accusing stare. She raised her hands to her hips and tried to mimic her father's look of scorn.

Cadence smiled back at Zoey and nodded. Telling her the truth would mean questions about Tom and returning to the memory of him asking her about John.

"Yes, sorry I darted out earlier, couldn't stand the cheese of young love," she joked.

Zoey's smile widened as her stance slackened. "I feel bad about that you know," she confessed. "I mean Charlie was a last minute invitation and Tom didn't show-"

"It's okay," Cadence interrupted before the inevitable question about Tom's whereabouts could come. "Honestly, I didn't mind."

Zoey looked unconvinced. She glanced over her shoulder to Ellie sitting with her mother discussing college before turning her attention back to Cadence. "Well I want to make up for it," she insisted. "I'm going to see a Christmas light show with a few girls from college tonight and I want you to come."

Cadence considered a protest even as she wondered how Jed felt about the affair. For a normal student sure it sounded fun but for the President's daughter it seemed risky. "I don't know," Cadence murmured.

"It's exclusive, tickets only," Zoey enthused, "but we have a couple spare, come on Cady cat you know something that's ticket only is usually good."

Cadence grinned and shook her head. "Ah so I'm a fill the numbers offer then B.B?" she queried mockingly. Seeing Zoey's stare become worried prompted a laugh. "I'm kidding B.B."

"Please come, I want a girls' night with you and it is Christmas," Zoey insisted.

Cadence sighed. "Ah there it is, the infamous 'because it's Christmas.' Well alright then, since it's Christmas."

Cadence shrugged and finished the dregs in her champagne flute.

"How can you still drink?" Zoey marvelled as she looked to the glass. Although she tried to sound disapproving her gaze suggested envy and curiosity.

"Because I'm a masochist," Cadence retorted cheerfully. "It's also why I keep subjecting myself to never ending dinners."

Zoey giggled at this and followed after Cadence as she headed for Ellie and Abbey. It was a bold move but the alcohol gave Cadence courage and she knew she had to make an effort. Truthfully she wanted to make an effort, seeing Ellie was painful but Cadence had missed her.

Ellie looked up at Cadence impassively before turning a smile to Zoey.

"Ladies, how are we finding the food?" Abbey queried.

"Lovely," Zoey assured.

"Delightful," Cadence chirped up, "but I definitely can't have anymore turkey."

Ellie refrained from commenting and was stern faced as Abbey and Zoey laughed. She looked relieved when Jed and Leo returned.