The mood of the West Wing staffers was mixed. Sam felt an open joy for the evening, he admired Josh's good turn and was only slightly suspicious of it but was too pleased with the good mood it created in Mallory to question it. Toby's suspicions behind Josh's good deed were reaching a state of paranoia accompanied by his expected disdain and open displeasure at daring to use up precious time on something as frivolous as socialising. C.J was pleased but waiting for the bubble to burst. She had endured a lot of grief from Simon to come out here, causing the stern agent to relent with a small, teasing smile and a threat to go speed dating and mingle with as many strangers as possible instead.

As the group were part of an outing that had essentially been for Cadence, Leo had actually permitted it, all too aware that his youngest hadn't really had a night out since the terrible event over two years ago when she had been kidnapped from a night out at a hotel with Zoey. Sure Leo was worried and wary too, which was why Agent Casper had come along with a discrete accompaniment and why Leo had insisted C.J go have a good time too because he knew Agent Donovan would take care to check out the venue and its visitors and have extra support as required.

They were at a bar called The Silver Steed. It was near the White House, serving as an upmarket joint for the local government workers, which made it both secure and expensive. Although with Casper and Donovan having scoped the place an hour in advance and placed undercover agents in discrete places around it, it was now at a Fort Knox level of security.

Although no one could know for certain, there was a slight suspicion amongst Sam and Josh that someone, chiefly Leo, had offered a discrete sum of money to the owners in exchange for allowing the venue to be almost privatised for the evening. That was to say, there was a noticeable lack of anyone who might be even vaguely rowdy and yet enough of a crowd so as not to draw suspicion to the fact.

The cost of a mundane pint had Toby cursing and lamenting the evening all over again as he gazed at his almost empty glass morosely.

Toby was seated at a round table with Sam, Mallory, C.J and Ainsley. He had plonked himself down in a seat upon entry as if burdened with weights and made it clear that he had no intentions of rising to get his own drinks because he wanted to limited his social contact with anyone and everyone for the evening.

"Hey Josh, where are those nachos you promised?" Cadence quipped teasingly as she joined him at the bar.

Josh glanced over his shoulder to give her a small smile. The young woman was a vision of loveliness for the evening, tawny hair loosely curled, eyes dusted with a beguiling smokey style of dark silver, eyeliner and mascara. Josh considered the make-up a work of art, marvelling that women could put so many things about their eyes and produce something beautiful instead of smeared bruising or raccoon eyes. His dark gaze twinkled with humour as he considered that maybe Cadence would like having raccoon eyes.

"Haven't I done enough by parleying?" Josh retorted as he tried to summon up some of his usual defensive nature that he bore for Cadence. "This isn't easy you know, everything in my gut is telling me to throw holy water at you and pray for your elephant marred soul," he teased.

"Oh now Josh, save the holy water for the real Republican in your midst," Cadence retorted with a nod in Ainsley's direction. The blonde, seated with the others and delighted to be included in the invitations for the evening, smiled and waved back at them. "By the way, Ainsley would also like some nachos, with lots of cheese. I agree about the cheese, definitely lots of that."

"Of course she would and of course you would," Josh murmured dismissively. "I don't even know where she puts it." He shook his head chidingly. "Typical Republican, greedy," he joked with another smile.

"I like her," Cadence mused happily.

"Well of course you do. You've been away from the V.P's team too long, the Republican is starting to rub off on you. Speaking of."

Josh nodded as he spied Gavin Drake and Jeremy Rolston entering the bar after being checked briefly by a doorman.

Gavin oozed confidence as he walked, a small smile on his face as his eyes glimmered with charm, all too aware of the women who looked his way even as he ignored them, leading the way towards the bar. He was a tall, confident and handsome man and all too aware of his qualities making him cocky, bold and, at times, arrogant.

Jeremy was lost in Gavin's shadow, walking behind him as he offered up a slightly nervous grin and looked about their surroundings with intrigue. By comparison, Jeremy was a friendly, people pleaser, he just wanted to get along with people and preferred to negotiate than squabble.

The pair were members of the Vice President's team, Gavin an original from the campaign trails who was now Josh's counterpart whilst Jeremy was the latest in a long line of press secretaries for John, although he was proving to be a survivor as he was currently the longest lasting of them.

"Well Josh, in spite of your threat of nachos, here we are," Gavin announced as his smile widened. He had a long, tan coat resting on the crook of his right arm and kept glancing about as he searched the bar area for a safe place to deposit it.

"Threat?" Ainsley echoed in confusion. "Nachos are delicious, and what gives with them Josh? Have you ordered some yet?"

Josh winced slightly as he saw the blonde raise one slender, bare arm over her chair to lean back and look at him inquisitively.

Gavin glanced her way curiously, his dark eyes brightening when he saw who it was. "They're not exactly healthy," he chided.

Ainsley turned her head slightly prompting her golden-blonde hair to shift back over her shoulder as she faced Gavin. "Gotta enjoy life to live it," she insisted, "and nachos are definitely enjoyable."
Gavin shook his head. "No, they're...kind of tasteless."

"Well that's what the cheese is for silly!" Ainsley scorned him. She eased the sting of her words with a bright smile.

Gavin continued to smile despite the insult. "That makes it worse, melted cheese turns me."

"And here I've been sticking up for you Democrats this whole time," Ainsley teased, "but you don't help yourselves much, do you?"

Gavin pressed a hand to his chest mockingly with a feigned look of hurt. "Right, it's the choice of cheese on nachos or not that keeps us apart, otherwise we'd have peace in the country." He let out a chuckle at this and glanced to the bar. "Tell you what, I'll be the bigger person and get you some of these nachos, even though it's against everything I believe in."

Gavin slung his coat over the chair beside Ainsley and headed back to the bar. Halting beside Cadence, he gave her a grin in greeting.

"And here you are in person at last," Gavin remarked cheerfully as he gazed down at the smaller woman. "Helpful as your phone calls and e-mails have been over the year, it's not the same thing as having you here," he confessed. He turned so that he was facing her fully, his bright gaze darting down to her star pendant briefly. "I particularly loved when I presented you with a quandary over the contested rights to Native American land with oil in Massachusetts and you refused to advise until I confirmed that Lucky the raccoon was recovering from his paw injury." He snickered and shook his head. "If you'd been here I'd have taken you to see that damn raccoon, bane of my existence from day one."

Cadence gazed up at Gavin curiously, a little intimidated by his presence as she felt the space of the two years between them. He was right, e-mailing and phone calls weren't the same as face to face interaction and she couldn't tell if he was just jesting or if there was a jibe hidden there. Her relationship with Gavin had been rocky for a few months when she had returned to work for John. Out of loyalty to John, Gavin had leaked a story to the press about Cadence's mental health issues and suicide attempt in a desire to drive her away before she could do any damage to John with her scandals. Gavin had offered to quit over it but Cadence had accepted his apology and persuaded John to do the same. Now she wondered if revenge was back in his mind after she had up and left again just to do a repeat return.

"Hi Gavin," she greeted quietly.

She tensed slightly when he rested a hand on her right shoulder, his fingers pressing down on the chiffon strap of her midnight blue dress.

"Cady, it really is good to see you," he assured in a serious tone. "Let me buy you a drink since Lyman is clearly in no rush to do it."

Josh frowned at the jibe. "It's not my fault the barman doesn't seem to see me," he complained.

Josh's frown deepened when Gavin leaned over the bar slightly and immediately got service.

"He must want your number," Josh suggested with a slight taunt to his tone and a frown for the barman who had served Gavin.

Gavin shrugged in a gesture that showed he was entirely unruffled by Josh's comment. "At least I can still pull them."

Once the drinks and nachos were finally purchased, Josh, Cadence and Gavin returned to the table the others occupied. Gavin took a seat beside Ainsley, offering her a dish of cheesy nachos with a proud grin.

The blonde accepted the offering with glee and immediately tucked into them, making 'mmm' noises as she sucked off the cheese that prompted an odd look from Gavin as a crimson blush crept up his neck.

Cadence was no less graceful with devouring the cheese drenched nachos. She hugged a dish of them close to her, lifting them up by the forkful so rapidly she almost choked on the cheese twice.

It prompted Josh and Sam to make a bet over who was going to finish the nachos first- Cadence or Ainsley whilst C.J dared them to try and get a nacho from either woman.

The night continued in a jovial manner as the group swapped light hearted stories and drank. Although Toby added some scornful remarks about the importance of their office and the waste of an evening here, he failed to bring down the mood. Ainsley was the life of the party with a bright laugh, turning any jibe about Republicans into a joke, demonstrating an able ability to laugh at herself but equally demonstrating a sharp wit as she offered up some jests at the Democrats expense.

Things remained pleasant and merry until Charlie and Zoey showed up. Mallory didn't even realise her mistake in inviting the young woman and her boyfriend until it was too late.

The pair arrived a couple of hours into the night, entering hand in hand looking only a little flustered from the nip in the air. As the warmth of the bar hit them, Zoey was prompted to immediately pluck off her long, red coat and sling it over her arm.

At the sight of the youngest Bartlet daughter entering with Charlie, Cadence turned an odd shade of ghoulish blue-white and stood up from the table hastily with a wide, alarmed stare.

"You can't be here," she snapped quickly, "it's too dangerous."

Cadence's voice was sharp, it wasn't quite a shout but it was loud enough for Zoey to hear over the din of the barflies as she drew closer to the table.

Zoey halted, her smile vanishing as she stared over at Cadence in surprise. "What? Cady it's okay." She added more quietly as she approached her friend, "dad said it was fine and the place has been vetted. There are agents outside, it's very secure and I had an escort here."

Cadence shook her head as she stepped back from the table and her eyes rolled about the semi-busy bar. "No, too many variables, too many people, three points of entrance and only one covered by a doorman," she snapped sternly.

Mike, blending in for once in his suit, cocked his head with interest at Cadence's words. He felt both pleased and dismayed at Cadence's surveillance of their surroundings, sure it was good that she was paying attention but bad that she was paranoid enough to scope out the place. He had given it a good thrice over, happy that Cadence was out socialising but unhappy to be in a situation with as many risks as a busy bar.

"Cady," Mallory addressed her sister gently as she rose from her seat and looked over to Cadence with concern, "I invited Zoey, I thought you'd like to see her and it really is okay. We're all here together, all safe and there are plenty of our people on watch, it's not just one doorman."

Cadence's blue-grey eyes glanced to her sister sharply as she continued to shake her head. "No, no damn it, it's not safe!"

Cadence clutched at her head, eyes wide as they rolled about the venue anxiously, suddenly seeing every stranger as a potential threat.

"You can't know everyone," she murmured stubbornly. "All it takes is a few seconds, that's all."

"Cady," Mike was addressing her now, his voice soft as he took a stance behind her, wary of alarming her and wary too of the attention she was garnering from strangers. "I checked this place out personally, if I thought there was any threat, no matter how slight, I wouldn't let you be here, any of you," he added firmly.

Simon Donovan looked up to the young woman with interest. He was seated near C.J, trying to blend in as he cradled a pint of water, ever alert to any subtle changes in the room. He was calm, a little unhappy with the arrival of the president's daughter as it was an extra body to have eyes on, but satisfied that there was nothing to suggest danger nearby.

Cadence kept shaking her head. "No, we had agents, it doesn't matter does it? Just one gun, one threat and it's easy."

"Cady, we can go," Mallory offered as she sidestepped the table to move closer to her sister, eager to calm Cadence before a worse outburst came. "I really didn't think this would upset you, I meant it as a nice surprise. I'm sorry," she added sincerely as she gave her sister a concerned stare.

Cadence suddenly seemed to realise the scene she was causing as she looked down to the tables and took in the many pairs of eyes staring up at her. Sam looked worried, Ainsley sympathetic, Gavin concerned and Toby, well mostly annoyed but there was a slight hint of sympathy in him too.

"I...I'm sorry," Cadence stammered as her embarrassment coloured her face.

Cadence reached forward to snatch her purse up from the table before she veered for the door, halting suddenly beside Zoey.

"You cannot be here," she snapped it pleadingly with a begging stare to match. "You need to stay safe, please Zoey, didn't you learn?"

Zoey shrank back from her friend in alarm, her eyes filling with dismay at Cadence's accusation.

"Hey, that's unfair," Charlie was quick to scold.

Cadence turned her stare up to him as anger replaced the plea in her grey-blue gaze.

"You weren't there," she accused him. "You don't know. If you were there, if you'd heard them, seen the shooting, felt it," she shuddered, "all the water, shit, well you wouldn't let her out like this!"

Cadence turned away, heading hastily to the door with Mike hot on her heels.

"Cady come back," Mallory called as she gave pursuit as well, not bothering to snatch up her coat before she did.

"Shit," Gavin said quietly as he watched them go. "Two years and still..." He shook his head pityingly.

"She has a point," Toby said bluntly. When he felt several pairs of eyes turn to him in annoyance he snapped, "what?" He gestured across to C.J pointedly. "We already have one at risk person amongst us, we don't need two, it's foolish."

C.J scowled over to him before reaching for her cocktail and gulping it pointedly. She set the empty glass back on the table with a loud, deliberate clang. "I guess the evening's over then," she said bluntly. "This at risk person should get herself home. You know, if I can manage it without a terrorist attack en route."

"Don't joke," Josh chided quietly. "You are in danger C.J."

Josh looked glum, his stare on the bar's exit though Cadence was out of sight. He felt a familiar thrill of panic rush through him as he thought of his own brush with violent gunmen. He understood where Cadence was coming from. The nightmares and the erratic outbursts had taken time and a lot of therapy for Josh to master.

"And it's hard to forget with the constant agent tail and reminders from everyone," C.J said hotly. "What should I do?" She held out her arms in an exaggerated gesture. "Hide in a box? Lock myself away until its safe? I have a life to live and so does Cady."

C.J lowered her arms and looked up to the still stunned Zoey in pity. "And you Zoey, you have a right to be here," she said firmly. "We can't hide away wrapped in wool, missing out on fun out of fear."

"Your danger will pass," Simon chided her quietly, "so you should take precautions until then because it is only temporary. Better you stay safe than get a bullet through your skull."

C.J frowned over at him. "Life of the party you and Toby, truly."

It was just after ten when Mallory and Cadence made it back to Mallory's apartment, accompanied by Agent Mike Casper. They had headed home courtesy of a private car that was on standby via Leo, sitting in a troubling silence for the duration of the ride. Mallory left Cadence alone in the spare room at her request, knowing her sister was probably going to phone Tom. Mallory hoped the Republican might be able to calm her sister when she couldn't, appreciating that Tom did have a knack with her. Wary of Cadence's mood and reluctant to go to bed while she was still awake, Mallory instead retreated to the kitchen to make up some coffee for her and Mike.

In the spare room, Cadence cradled the phone close to her chin with one hand whilst twisting the curly cord about with her other hand as she paced across the wilting cream carpet. Each ring seemed to extend into an eternity as she wondered if Tom would even pick up. She considered that maybe he'd moved from the hotel number he had given her although he'd told her he should be there for another couple of days. Cadence knew from experience however how quick a campaign trail could change.

"Hello?" Tom's curious voice answered at last on the fifth ring.

"Tom," Cadence said in relief. She felt a sudden rush of emotions as she heard his voice and realised how desperately she missed his presence near her.

"Cady, what's happened?" Tom pried worriedly as he immediately picked up the distraught tone in her voice.

"Just..." Cadence trailed off as she thought about what had actually happened. It had been an imagined fear leading to a moment of hysteria. She realised guiltily that she had ruined a good night out for everyone and probably scared Zoey.

She leaned back against the desk the phone was resting on, pushing back her hair untidily with one hand as she thought about her answer.

"A dark moment," she admitted. "A really, really dark moment," she added sorrowfully as she bowed her head causing her ruffled hair to tumble forward again.

"Okay," Tom said gently, "tell me about Cady cat, from the beginning."

"I...we went out to a bar, Josh arranged it, with me and him and C.J, Sam, Toby, Ainsley, and Mallory, and Gavin and Jeremy. To help me ease back in, it was weirdly nice of him but..." She sucked in a breath and tensed.

Cadence's grey-blue eyes looked to the closed blinds of the singular window in the room almost accusingly. She thought she could hear rain but realised it was just a faint hum in her ears.

"Go on Cady," Tom urged her.

"Mallory invited Zoey," Cadence confessed. "I just...I haven't...not since that night Tom, that was the last time we were out together. Oh God, I just...I can see it was stupid of me now, it was a secure bar, right beside the White House and Mike was there and a lot of other agents but... I didn't feel safe, I really...I thought..." She shook her head and frowned as she felt her eyes burn with the threat of tears. "I'm a mess Tom, two years on and shit, I just..."

"Cady," Tom addressed her calmly.

"Yeah?"

"It's okay to be scared, we've talked about that and it's okay to worry. You went through a lot two years ago, seeing Zoey in a public venue has triggered the memory, which is a shock but you need to consider all the people you had around you and the agents with you and with Zoey too I'm sure. Zoey and you can't let your lives be dictated by what happened, then those people win. You both have a right to be out in public and happy and relaxed, the agents are paid to look over your shoulder, let them have that burden."

"But there were agents at the hotel," she argued quietly.

"I know and what happened was unfortunate but the bar wasn't there, it's not the same."

"But it could be Tom, God it could be. I can't...not again...they kept putting my head in water and...they were so angry I can't..."

"Cady cat, do you want me to come to D.C?" Tom offered in a gentle, warm tone. "I can do that, if you need me."

"No Tom, no," she added it more firmly. "You need to be in Virginia getting those votes. I just...I needed to hear your voice, you usually know what to say."

"Usually huh?" he quipped humorously. "Cady you could come to me if you want," he reminded her. "Anytime honey, I'll sort the transport."

Cadence glanced down at her left hand as she felt an unpleasant pain in her finger and she saw that she had wrapped the cord too tightly about it causing it to redden with the strain.

"Tom, dad and the president asked me to go to Texas with them for a few days," she confessed. "Unofficially of course."

Tom sighed, letting some of his annoyance slip into it. "But officially it's a campaign thing, right?" he quipped bitterly. "Because the votes are lagging there for the Democrats. And who else is going?"

"The vice president," Cadence admitted, "and his team and the president's team of course."

Cadence knew Tom well enough to know he was clenching his teeth and trying to swallow down some hot-headed retort as he tried to think up a calm way to convey his anger.

"Tom, I haven't committed to a thing, it was a sudden offer. I just...I came here because they got Zoey to ask me up and I missed the White House world, I really did but now I've messed up with Zoey." She sighed and finally untangled her finger from the cord. "I did get excited at the thought of a campaign trail," she said softly, "I always loved my job in Public Relations but I'm no good if I'm still having paranoid outbursts like I did tonight and much more than that, I'm with you Tom, this is your year. We've had two years on me. Jed said it could all be discrete, just me spending time with dad, nothing official but I don't want to put anything at risk for you."

"Cady," Tom interrupted her with a slight strain on his voice. "I don't know what to say to you. I want you happy, that's all I ever want for you so if a few days with your dad in Texas is going to help with that then okay but tell me, is that all it is or are you considering going back to your job with the vice?" He said the word vice coldly making his opinion on the matter clear.

"I don't know Tom," Cadence retorted softly. "I don't want to do anything that hurts you." Cadence was going to say 'your campaign' but she stopped short as she caught a flashback of being in John's hotel room letting him tangle her up in his tie and she felt a moment of self-revulsion.

"Hmm. Well Cady you've sounded a little brighter talking to me about it so I can tell it's something you want. Hell our two years in Virginia have been limbo land but maybe take it is easy huh, discrete like you say, few days in Texas alright, with your dad and then we can talk about it again, see how you are. And talk the bar thing through with Zoey but remember, you both deserve a life, don't make her afraid to go out with friends and don't you be afraid to either."

Cadence nodded. "I will Tom and thanks. I love you."

"I love you too Cady cat. We'll have to meet up again in a few days, I don't want long gaps between our visits irregardless of what you do unofficially for the Democrats."

Cadence gave a small smile. "Sounds good Tom. How is all going for you anyway? The press makes it look positive."

Tom gave a chuckle. "Oh it is, I think Markway's going to have to pull something seriously impressive out of his hat to catch me," he bragged.

"He won't catch you," Cadence said seriously, "you deserve it not him."

"Thanks Cady. Now, get some rest then give Zoey a call."

"Alright, sleep well Tom."

Cadence ended the call and placed the phone back in its cradle. After smoothing her hair down she stepped out of the room to go and make amends with her concerned sister. She could see the momentous hike ahead to get back to the life she had known but she realised, hard as it was going to me and steep as the hill of trouble was she wanted to try and climb anyway and get back to being in P.R for the VP's party. The specifics of who was in that party she kept purposely pushed aside, she wasn't welcoming any thoughts of John tonight, she had enough on her plate as it was.