Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to West Wing, Hamilton, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, or A Star is Born. The Chapter title comes from the song 'The Man That Got Away' sung by the great and legendary Judy Garland in the movie 'A Star is Born'.

This chapter takes place in the context of the episode '100,000 Airplanes'.

I'm dedicating this chapter to all of the American heroes who are doing their part to solve the Coronavirus crisis. Thank you to all of our healthcare employees who put their lives on the line to save ours. As President Bartlet once said, "They ran *into* the fire." Thank you to our medical researchers, our grocery store employees and takeout/fast food employees and restaurants, and our teachers. Thank you to everyone who's making masks and raising or donating money to relief and scientific research. Thank you to the organizations that are doing the same and to the companies who are donating supplies. Thank you to all of the companies and clubs who are using their skills and who converted their facilities to make supplies. Thank you to all of the first responders who are keeping order in our communities and continue to keep us safe in the midst of all of our chaos. To quote President Bartlet once again, "This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars."

XXXXXXXX

Energy buzzed in the National Strategies Group Bullpen. "We stand ... at a critical point, a time of choosing... If we take the hard course, the right course, ... there ... is … no ... limit to what we can achieve. …. There... is … no... limit to what we will achieve…" Congress applauded President Bartlet as he gave his State of the Union speech.

Sam approached Lisa who watched the speech on the multitude of television screens in the Bullpen. "The dials go from zero ... to 100….. They dial up … if they like what he's saying. ….. They dial down... if they don't. ..… All the numbers lead … to a central computer."

"Like the Nielsen's."

"...Yeah."

"They're behind a screen somewhere."

Sam scanned the screens. "Huh?"

"The people with the dials... They're behind a screen somewhere." Lisa repeated.

tch-CHOO… tch-CHOO* Cameras flashed as Sam pointed to the other monitors on the wall. "They're in Macomb County, they're in Portland, in Los Feliz, California, Norman, Oklahoma. … Joey puts together a decent snapshot."

"Which one's ... Joey?" Lisa followed Sam's gaze to her left.

"huh…. Kenny!" Sam called out to a brown-haired man as he stepped past Lisa. "Can we get Joey a second?"

Kenny tapped a petite woman's shoulder and translated the message in sign language. Joey gestured at Sam to wait a minute and Sam signed 'Thank you'.

Lisa raised her eyebrows. "When'd you pick that up?"

Sam turned to Lisa. "I jus' said thanks." *tcha-CHOO tcha-CHOO* The photographer continued to snap pictures as Sam furrowed his brow. "Could he go easy ... wi' the pictures?"

Lisa took notes. "You said it wouldn't be a problem."

"When di' I say that?"

"C.J. Cregg... said it wouldn't be a problem." Lisa looked up.

Sam stepped towards Lisa. 'Of course she did….. She enjoys my pain.'

Joey and Kenny approached them and Sam introduced Joey to Lisa. "Joey, this is Lisa Sherborne…. She's doing a piece for Vanity Fair."

Kenny translated Joey's sign language. "I don't have a lotta time right now."

"What do the different lines mean?" Lisa stood with her notebook ready.

"Red's for Republicans, blue's for Democrats, and green's for Independents. When we say something liberal, ... like…" Joey answered.

'Don't hate me, Ainsley.' "Death ... is bad." Sam pursed his lips and then looked up at the monitor.

"Right." Joey agreed.

Joey continued. "Blues go up and reds go down... When we talk about values, reds and greens go up. ... You're usually lucky to break 65. ... I gotta get back now."

Sam and Lisa watched the screens as the dials stayed constant in the middle fifty's range.

The speech continued. "I have abiding respect for the Speaker of the House ... and the Majority Leader. … They are men of fundamental decency and public servants ... of purpose."

"How much of this did you write?" Lisa asked over the applause.

"We don't really talk about that."

"You think there's anything you're gonna talk about, or is this gonna be an extraction?" Lisa looked at Sam.

'Hey look, this wasn't my idea.' Sam clenched his face.

"...to the men and women … of both chambers, who have labored to shed the weight of partisanship … an' donned the cloak of progress."

"Lines don't seem to be doin' much." Lisa commented.

Sam raised his index finger. "Hang on."

tcha-CHOO* The photographer took another picture.

"It may be said ... that in the last half-century, America won the Cold War … and modeled freedom … for a waiting world. Today, we are faced with a new challenge..."

"Breaking out the greatest hits, huh?" Lisa nodded.

"...Now in a new century, when we meet … and master ... new forms of aggression and hatred, ... ignorance and evil, ... our vigilance in the face of oppression and global terror ... will be unequaled ... by any moment … in human history." The applause thundered as the polling data went up.

"Now you're cookin'." She said.

President Bartlet's voice resonated in the chamber. "And to the enemies of freedom, ... the enemies of democracy, ... the enemies of America, ... the enemies of humanity itself, … we … say … here ... tonight … with one voice. … There is no corner of this earth so remote, … no cave so dark, ... that you will not be found ... an' brought to light … and ended." Congress gave President Bartlet a standing ovation.

"That's … a number spike." 'Wow. … He's really in his element, isn't he?'

Sam stepped towards the man at the control center. "Hey, ... crank that up."

"You broke 65 in all the lines." Lisa said. 'Why aren't you more excited?'

"We nearly had one almost as big."

"What?" Lisa asked.

Sam examined the screens. "I said we nearly had one almost as big."

"What was it?"

"We almost cured cancer."

'What? What's the story there?' "Really?" Lisa asked.

"This close." Sam gestured an inch with his thumb and finger.

"What happened?"

Sam shrugged. "Just one of those things."

'Since when do you, of all people, let that get cut?' Lisa thought.

XXXXXXXXXXX

tch-CUNNNGGG* Sam opened the door to the Lobby and entered with Lisa and the photographer. "Sam Seaborn!" A man announced Sam's arrival.

The crowd applauded Sam. "Thank you. Thank you. I'm at Ha Ha's in Cleveland on the 16th, …. and tip your waitresses." He shook a brunette woman's hand.

Josh skipped through the crowd. "Sam."

'Josh!' Sam lifted his chin with a smile.

Josh gave Sam a brotherly hug. "Congratulations."

"Hey, you too."

"So far so good, huh?"

Sam nodded and creased his forehead. "The dials were what we thought. We'll wait for the overnights." 'But don't hold your breath.'

"Lisa." Josh smirked. 'Wow, she's looking good. You sure Ainsley's okay with this?'

"Josh." Lisa replied.

"Still trying to get waived inna Generation X?"

"Still a pompous jackass?" Lisa smiled and tilted her head.

"Oh ohhhhh, ... you betcha... See ya later." Josh walked away.

"Congratulations, Sam." A man said as they headed for the drinks table.

"Tell me 'bout the cancer thing." Lisa said.

"Ha-ugghhh." Sam sighed. "It got cut." Sam turned to the bartender. "Jack Daniels."

'Well no shit, Sherlock.' "You were gonna cure cancer."

Sam nodded. "We were gonna say we were gonna cure cancer. ….. Curing it … is someone else's department."

"How does that work?" Lisa asked

"How does what work?" Sam retorted.

'Cut the crap. You know fucking well what.' "Deciding what you're gonna say."

"You mean….. writin' the State of the Union?" Sam furrowed his brow.

'Yes, you jackass.' "Yeah."

Sam took a sip of his drink. "... uh….. It's a long story."

'That's the idea.' "I'm writing a long story."

Sam swallowed. "Do you do any kinda preparation before you come ta report…"

Lisa looked down. "I prefer to…"

"Hang out at Moomba?" Sam's forehead creased.

'Really, Sam? Moomba? … Come on, I have a job to do here.' Lisa stared at Sam.

'Okay fine.' Sam looked down and pursed his lips. "The process begins six weeks beforehand wi' budget meetings."

'Finally.' "Why budget meetings?"

"'Cause … if we're introducing a new idea, people're gonna wanna know how we pay for it." Sam raised his eyebrows. "Memos are written … they come from everywhere. ….. Every agency, ... department, ... senior advisor, ...outside notable-"

Lisa took notes. "What's an outside notable?"

"Former presidents, ... Henry Kissinger, Bill Gates, Jesse Jackson, … Mr. Rogers wants to write us a memo, we'll read it. … We'll pass some of them on to the President an' he'll start makin' notes in the margins. … Then we have "The ... President's … First ... Thoughts"... meeting. … That's … when we all wanna kill ourselves." Sam sipped his drink.

"Why?"

"'Cause that's when the President tells us we're nowhere." Sam explained.

"Why?"

" 'Cause we're nowhere. ... So, we try ta figure out what people wanna hear. … And that's ... when anybody who didn't want to kill themselves before ... has certainly been converted to the cult."

"Why's this so hard?" Lisa inquired.

" 'Cause it's a white piece a paper." Sam said.

"How high are the stakes?" Lisa asked as they walked towards the buffet line.

"How high can ya count?"

"So what do you do?"

"Whatever it takes to get started. … An' we read new memos, ... an' we try new themes, ... an' we hear new slogans, ... an' we test new lines, ... an' after a few weeks of that…... we've still gotta white piece a paper."

Lisa and Sam loaded up their plates in the buffet line. "So it's hard?"

Sam looked back at her. "Hmm?"

"It's hard." Lisa increased her volume.

"It's hard ... under the best … of circumstances. … Obviously, it got a little harder two weeks ago."

"What happened two weeks ago?"

They stood in silence for a moment before Sam looked at Lisa. 'Oh.' "Congress censured the President."

"Yes." Sam confirmed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

C.J. walked through the Lobby as he focused his gaze on Joey and Kenny passed through the Bullpen. 'Good, she's got something.' Sam entered the hallway as Joey approached the door.

chul-LUM* Joey opened the door to the hallway.

"D'ya have anything?"

Joey shook her head. "No."

'Bullshit.' "I don't believe you."

'Of course you don't.' "I don't have anything."

"If you didn't have anything, ya wouldn't be out here at the party." Sam glanced to the side.

Joey shrugged as she looked around. "... I like parties."

'Don't get cute with me.' "What d'ya have?"

'Fine.' "...I have the first twenty minutes."

Sam nodded. 'Okay, that's something.' "Okay."

"You don't want the first twenty minutes."

'Oh, this isn't good.' "Why?" Sam asked as Lisa walked up behind him.

"Sa-... Hi." Joey smiled at Lisa.

"Hi." Lisa replied.

Sam turned around. "I just need a minute, okay?"

"I can wait."

"I need ya to wait over there." Sam reiterated.

"...Okay." Lisa returned to the Lobby.

Joey, Kenny, and Sam stepped into the Bullpen. "Why don't I want the first twenty minutes?"

tch-CHUNGk* The door closed behind Sam.

'Fine.' "It's what we expected it would be." Joey started.

"Tell me."

"It was the censure. People saw it was…"

Sam closed his eyes. 'This isn't good.' "Jus' tell me."

"Democrats, low to mid-fifties. ... Republicans, the high-thirties."

"Independents?" Sam inquired.

"Low-forties."

"You're kiddin' me."

"Sam…"

"Low 40s?" Sam asked.

"We knew the first twenty minutes…"

"Ten minutes. ... You said ten minutes and not this bad!" Sam interjected.

'Would you calm down?' "Wait for the rest of the dials."

Sam paced. "We did Internet commerce in the first twenty minutes. We did child asthma…"

Joey scrunched her face. "He wasn't the President in the first twenty minutes. Wait for the rest of the dial groups."

"Ha-ugghhh…. Topline, cross-tabs, whatever you get, … I godda bad feeling 'bout tonight." Sam opened the door. *tch-INNGGG*

Sam paused in the hallway as Lisa sipped her wine at their table. He approached the table.

'He's back.' Lisa stood up. "Were those polling numbers?"

"No."

'Bullshit.' "What was that abou'?"

Sam glanced to the side. "It was polling numbers, but it was... it was nothing."

They sat down. "How's it look?"

Sam looked up. "It's too early to tell."

Lisa studied his face as he looked at the table. He looked back up at her and gave her a faint boyish smile.

Ed and Larry approached the table. "Sam…"

"Congratulations." Larry patted Sam's shoulder.

"You too." Sam looked at Lisa. "Ed, Larry, this is Lisa Sherborne from Vanity Fair."

"Uh … which one's Ed, which one's Larry?"

"Doesn't matter." Ed and Larry replied.

Just as Ed and Larry were leaving, Larry stopped. "Joey went back to the office."

"Thank you." Sam said.

"Ya don't have ta introduce me as Lisa Sherborne from Vanity Fair."

"I like to let them know they're talkin' to a reporter."

'Oh, come on.' "You really are uncomfortable with me being here, right? ... You're not just, ... y'know, ... bein' you?"

'They really do need to know that.' "I don't know what that means."

"How did curing cancer get cut from the State of the Union?"

"A lot of things got cut."

Lisa raised her eyebrows. "Curing cancer?"

'It's not that simple… believe me, I tried.' "Hey, we hadda cut a section about making ... government ... manuals... easier to read, ... so ... curing cancer can take a number." Sam sipped his drink.

'I don't believe this.' Lisa sat back in her chair. "Why're you pissed a' me?"

Sam looked at Lisa. "I'm not pissed at you. ... I'm working."

"You're done working."

'No, Lisa. I'm really not.' Sam cut his steak. "I'm not done working. You're confused … because you see Absolut Cosmopolitans … an' famous people."

Lisa laughed and shook her head. "A section ... on government ... manuals."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kenny called out to C.J. as she mingled in the lobby. "C.J.!"

'Oh! It's time!' C.J. whipped her neck around to look back at Kenny. She held up her index finger. "Would you excuse me?" She followed Kenny to the Bullpen with a drink in her hand.

Every staffer was gathered around Joey and Kenny in the Bullpen. "Well, … something happened at the half-hour mark."

'Get on with it!' "What?" Toby held a clear cup with a plastic green straw.

"They … remembered why they liked him in the first place. ... The breakdowns are being handed around, ... but the really good news … are the panel backs. Sixteen Democrats, ... sixteen Republicans, ... and twelve Independents ..… were asked ... identical questions two days ago and one hour ago. Two days ago, … 48% said he was … able to handle his job effectively. ... Tonight, that number's 59."

"YAYY!" The staffers cheered.

" 'Trustworthy' 60%, up from 41."

"Give us the real one." Toby chewed gum.

The staff trembled as Joey spoke. " ….. 'Strong leader'..." She smiled. "69%."

The staffers gave an enthusiastic cheer. "WOOOO! Ya HOOO!"

Josh flexed his arms above his head. "We're back! … Yes! ... Yes!"

Ainsley kissed Sam. 'You did it, Babe.'

Sam smiled at Toby and hugged him. 'Well done!'

'Don't get used to this 'hugging me' thing.' Toby thought.

Josh kissed Joey on the cheek. He kissed Donna's cheek and hugged her. C.J. kissed Toby on the cheek several times. Sam high fived Larry as Ed cheered. Josh lifted C.J. up in the air.

From the end of the hall, the staffers parted and applauded as Bartlet walked up and Leo behind him. Bartlet put his arms around Sam and Toby. "Somebody, get these guys some pie."

C.J. stepped towards Joey. "Joey, is there an extra copy of the panel backs? I didn't get one."

Kenny held up his index finger. "I got one." Joey retrieved a copy from a stack of papers.

"Thanks." She ran to her office.

"C.J.!" Toby called out.

C.J. glanced back at Toby. "Hang on!"

"Dance with me!"

C.J. skipped. "Hang on! ... I'm just gonna toss this in my office." She kissed the panel backs.

Carol followed C.J. as she entered her office. "Congratulations, boss."

"Nice job." C.J. pointed to Carol from behind her desk. "Take the rest of the night off."

"Yeah, ... it's one in the morning." Carol handed her additional polling data.

C.J. set her drink down. "Well, ... you earned it."

Sam knocked on the door and entered as Carol went back to the Bullpen. "Sam, Sam, ... the sunshine man. … Get on the couch, I'm gonna do ya right now." C.J. filed her paperwork.

"I'm taken."

"Sorry, I was still talkin' to Carol."

"What is wrong with you?"

"We really don't know." C.J. chuckled as she made notes. "Lisa mentioned that it wasn't going that well tonight." She glanced down at her desk. "You still got a couple a weeks with her, you'll…"

"Yeah, ... I wish ... that we hadn't started tonight."

'What?' C.J. picked up her drink. "Why? ... It was a shining moment."

"It got the job done, … but ... it's ironic, 'cause that … a thing, sort of … a thing, between us is I'm supposed ta know the difference between flash an' substance."

"Sometimes a little flash is what's required." C.J. stepped around the desk. "You … said that to me."

"I say that when I don't have anything to say."

"It wasn't a Vegas act." C.J. stepped around her desk. "It was stirring. … And I wouldn't hang your head when you say it got the job done. That job was impossible and it had to be done. There aren't ten guys in the country who could write that speech."

"I bet the Cancer Committee can't wait to buy me a beer."

'Okay, Eeyore.' C.J. put a hand on Sam's chest before he continued. "Hey, I'm just, … y'know." Sam threw up his hands. "Anyway, congratulations. … And if you're serious about that thing wi' Carol, I can jus' sit in the corner an' not even s-" He glanced to the side.

C.J. laughed. "Get out!" She sipped her drink as Sam left.

XXXXXXXXXXX

ch-UNNGG* Sam opened the door to the Bullpen as he and Lisa entered the Bullpen. "Sorry. I was just getting some numbers."

"Can you tell me what they were?" Lisa inquired.

"They're internal numbers. … CNN/USA Today will have something in a little while."

'Okay, I'm not doing this.' Lisa decided.

"... Anyway, this is my office over here." He turned back to Lisa.

"Sam, … I'm gonna give my notes from tonight ta someone else and let them finish the reporting over the next few weeks. … You're ... obviously ... not comfortable with this."

Sam stepped toward Lisa. "They're internal numbers, Lisa, ... I can't…"

"Yeah, whatever." She raised her eyebrows. "I'm gonna give my notes ta someone else."

"...Anyway." Sam turned around and headed towards his office as Lisa followed him. "This is my office."

Lisa nodded. "It's nice." She picked up a picture on his shelf of Sam with his mom when he graduated Law School. 'I remember taking that picture.'

Sam paused. "CJ asked if the reason we didn't get married is because your name would be Sherborne-Seaborn."

Lisa looked back at him. 'HA!' "That's exactly …. why we didn't get married." She put the picture back.

Sam looked away. "Why didn't we get married?"

'He did not just ask me that.' Lisa turned to face Sam. "Why do you think?"

"'Cause I don't know what the cool restaurant is and I don't care." He walked towards his desk. "When I get hungry, I wanna eat. … I don't know where the Tommy Hilfiger party is, an' I dunno what to do once I get there." He looked back at Lisa.

"You're full of crap."

He looked down at his desk and then up at Lisa. "I was never cool enough for you."

"You're full of crap, and you think too little of me." She walked towards him. "And I didn't leave you. … You left me, and you did it to do this."

"Yea, that's right. You made me choose between you and the Campaign."

'Yea, because how were we supposed to do a long distance marriage?' "The fact that you picked the Campaign over me says a lot. It's exactly what your Dad would have done."

"First of all, you knew I wasn't happy at Gage Whitney, a job I took so you could work towards your dream, and that they knowingly used me to help oil companies avoid legal consequences. I carry that guilt with me every day." Sam said.

"Oh, so I made you stay at that job? Now it's my fault?"

"I took that job to make you happy so I could give you the life you wanted. We both know that the real reason why me going on the Campaign Trail was such a big deal was because I'd be making less money."

'It's not that simple.' "But how was my career supposed to fit in with your new life? Do you know any major fashion magazines in DC?" 'And how were we supposed to build a life on a campaign staffer's salary? We didn't even think Bartlet was gonna win at that point.'

"No." 'Good point.' "Lisa, look. … We both made choices that led us to where we are now. If I didn't leave you, you probably woulda left me. We jus' weren't right. An' if we did end up together, I would've never met Ainsley or found my calling and you probably wouldn't be in the job you have now."

"Ainsley- she's the one who kicked your ass, right?"

"You watched that?"

"Yes. And I thoroughly enjoyed it." She chuckled. "Isn't she's a Republican?"

"Yup."

"That's gotta be interesting."

Sam laughed. "Oh, it sure is."

"She's 'the one', isn't she?"

"Yes, she is." Sam beamed.

"I can tell by the way you light up when you talk about her, or even when you hear her name. You were never like that with me." Lisa said.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh that's nothing to apologize for…. I want someone who's like that for me, not someone who'd be like that for someone else."

Sam scrunched his eyes. "...Here's something interesting…. In 1940, our armed forces weren't among the 12 … most … formidable in the world, but obviously ... we were gonna fight a big war. …. And Roosevelt said … the U.S. would produce 50,000 planes in the next four years. … Everyone thought it was a joke, and it was…. 'Cause it turned out we produced 100,000 planes. We gave the air force an armada that would block the sun." Sam smiled.

They were silent for a moment before Lisa spoke again. "D'you still have what you wrote that night?"

"... About curin' cancer?"

"Yeah."

Sam walked to his desk and opened up the document on his laptop. *kip…. kip kip…. truh-ip.* Sam scrunched his brows.

"Read it to me." She sat down.

"Over the past half-century, … we've split the atom, ... we've spliced the gene, … and we've roamed Tranquility Base. … We've reached for the stars ... and never have we been closer to having them in our grasp. ... New science, … new technology... is making the difference between life and death, and so we need a national commitment equal to this unparalleled moment of possibility. … And so, I announce to you tonight, that I will bring the full resources of the federal government … and the full reach of my office to this fundamental goal: …. we will cure cancer by the end of this decade."

"That was nice." Lisa paused. "I'll pass the notes along."

Ainsley poked her head in. "Hey, Sam. You ready?"

He smiled. "Yeah, jus' a sec."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Assuming that none of the characters were in public office at the time (perhaps they were retired, political consultants, lobbyists, taking a break and working in the private sector, etc), how do you think they(each character) would react to the quarantine?