Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Hamilton or West Wing.

This chapter takes place in the context of Stirred.

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Josh's POV

'I have to send you away from this meeting…. There's no other choice and it's nothing personal.' Josh pursed his lips as he walked down the hallway, his hand behind his back.

Sam read paperwork as he stepped out of the Bullpen and looked up. "You wanted me?"

Josh noticed Sam's coat. "You went out?"

Sam resumed skimming the paperwork. "We went to a Caps game with some of Ainsley's friends and then had dinner and drinks after the game."

'If I had known that, then I wouldn't have paged you.' "Good game?" Josh bit his lip.

Sam looked up. "Y'know what I'd do if I... No, it wasn't. Y'know what I'd do if I owned a hockey team?… I'd hire a sumo wrestler. I'd give him a uniform, transportation, 500 bucks a week to sit in the goal, eat a ham sandwich, and enjoy the game. My team would never get scored on." He gestured with his hand for emphasis at the end.

'That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard.' "Your team … would get … scored on … constantly." Josh said.

"Maybe, but we'd sell a few tickets." Sam said.

"Yeah, … 'cause sumo wrestling sells out all the time in big hockey towns." Josh said as they stopped in Josh's office doorway. 'You obviously didn't grow up in New England.'

"My idea's … totally inviable?" Sam asked.

"Well,… you're a Democrat…. It's a pretty big club." Josh said.

"What didya need?" Sam asked.

"Uh…" Josh cleared his throat as he rubbed his ear. "Health, education, and welfare … is… marking up the Internet Education Act tomorrow." He sat on the edge of his solid wood desk.

"Tomorrow?" Sam said.

Josh's forehead creased. "Yeah." Josh said.

"And they told us when?" Sam asked.

"An hour ago. … They're zeroing out the Technology Challenge Fund." Josh said.

"That's… the Vice President's thing." Sam said.

'You're telling me.' "You wanna know for how long?… I was working for him … when he created it." Josh said.

"Does he know?" Sam asked.

"No." Josh said.

"What d'you think he's gonna say when you tell 'im?" Sam asked.

"I think he's gonna say, 'Josh,… you look … remarkably like Sam Seaborn.'" Josh said.

"I could think of a lot of people who are better suited to this than I am." Sam said.

"Who?" Josh said.

"Leo." Sam said.

"Leo says you." Josh said.

"Why didn't he say you?" Sam asked.

Josh avoided eye contact with Sam. "I don't have the best relationship with Hoynes, … and … neither does Leo." 'Which is technically true.'

"I don't understand. You just … go in there and say, 'I'm sorry, Mr. Vice President. It isn't gonna happen.'… Don't ya think he's gonna be miffed … if it comes from the Deputy Communications Director?" Sam asked.

"Well,… we don't want you to say I'm sorry. We want ya ta… work with him … an' save the bill." Josh said.

"Oh… All right. … When?" Sam asked.

"His office is expecting you in…" 'Let me check.' Josh checked his watch. "20 minutes."

"What 'bout the meeting?" Sam asked.

"My meeting?" Josh blinked. 'I'm sorry buddy, but I just can't risk you being there.'

"Yeah." Sam said.

"Don't worry about it." 'Cause I can't risk there being a leak with us possibly replacing Hoynes on the ticket.'

"You sure you won't need me? Cause I could come by late." Sam offered.

"I have it completely covered." Josh's eyes darted.

Sam studied Josh and then shrugged. "…All right. I'll check in when I'm done."

"Thank you." Relief washed over Josh. 'Phew.'

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Sam's POV

Sam left the Vice President's office as he checked his watch, which read 11:15 pm. 'That was easy. Real easy. All he needed to hear was that Congress wanted his name off it to do it. I didn't even have to suggest it to him.' Shortly after that, Sam walked through the West Wing hallway towards the Roosevelt Room on his way to update Josh.

Josh jumped out of his seat in the Roosevelt Room to meet Sam in the hallway, leaving the door open a crack. "He's taking his name off it?"

"Yeah." Sam said.

As they approached the Roosevelt Room, Josh became visibly uncomfortable as he positioned himself between Sam and the doorway.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked.

Josh squirmed. "Yeah… I just… have to … get back to my meeting."

"What the hell's going on?" Sam asked.

Josh fidgeted. "Uhhhh… yeah everything's fine! Don't worry about it…. Don't worry about it at all. I just have … to get back to my meeting."

"Was I sent away?" Sam squared his jaw.

"I … dunno… what … you're talking about." Josh said.

'Bullshit.' "Josh." Sam's rectangular face clenched.

"Alright, fine!" Josh shouted before he looked away. "The meeting's about replacing Hoynes."

"Why…. was I… sent away?" 'It had better not be because of Ainse.' Sam's temper began to rise as Josh attempted to give an answer but failed. "Does it have anything to do with Ainsley?!"

"…Yes." Josh uttered under his breath.

Sam mustered as much control over his temper as he could. "Give me… one… good reason why Ainsley's a credible threat. I'm not other people, and neither is she."

"I can't have your girlfriend gabbing to her Phyllis Schlafly Ya-Ya Sisterhood!" Josh shouted.

'Excuse me?' "You mean … Ainsley Hayes, Deputy White House Counsel and advisor to the Bartlet Presidential Campaign?!" Sam's bright blue eyes popped as he shook with anger. Just then, Toby and CJ appeared in the hallway to separate Sam and Josh.

"We're taking a walk. Now!" CJ shouted at Sam.

"Fine!" Sam shouted back.

CJ and Sam went to her office. "Sam,… I get where you're coming from, but I don't think you're seeing the bigger picture."

"She branded herself as a Maverick Republican for the rest of her career for us and here Josh is treating her like she's not one of us!"

"Of COURSE she's one of us. But Ainsley's roommates have friends over, yes?"

"Yea." Sam said. 'So?'

"Have you vetted all of 'em?" CJ asked.

"No, but we'd never discuss replacing Hoynes on the ticket with them!" Sam shouted.

"I didn't say-" CJ started.

"Yes, you did." Sam said.

CJ took a deep breath. "Why don't we ask Ainsley? If she's offended, then you can punch Josh and take it to Leo."

Sam stared at her, his jaw clenched. "Fine." He and CJ exited her office, walked through the Bullpen to Ainsley's office, and knocked on her door.

"Come in!" Ainsley watered the potted tulips and peonies in the rectangular box on her windowsill. They entered and Ainsley observed Sam's upset body language. "What's goin' on? Honey, why're you havin' a duck fit?" Ainsley set down the watering can before she sat down, her eyes round and soft with concern.

Sam and CJ taking the seats across from her before she explained what had happened. "I told him that we could come ask you if you were offended and if you were, then he could go punch Josh and yell at Leo. … So, are you offended?"

Ainsley suppressed a laugh. "No, I'm not offended…. Oh, Sam…. I appreciate it and' all, but Honey,… of COURSE they were concerned! How're they supposed to know that one of my roommates' friends won't leak it?"

"I have to get back to my meeting. And Sam, listen to her." CJ walked out.

"I just got so angry 'cause…" Sam said.

Ainsley took his hands in hers. "I get it, and it's one of the reasons why I love you."

Sam smiled. "I love you, too." He squeezed her hands.

"So what'd they need you for?" Ainsley asked.

"Oh, Congress was gonna cut the Technology Challenge fund unless Hoynes took his name off it." Sam said.

" 'Cause it's an election year." Ainsley said.

"When's it not an election year? But yeah." Sam studied her expression. "What?"

"Nothin', it sounds like a great cause." Ainsley said.

"Shouldn't the government be in the business of great causes?" Sam asked.

"Have you ever been to the DMV and thought 'Yes, I wanna pay them to be in charge of more?' " Ainsley asked.

'She's got a point.' "What if we just did better than the DMV?" Sam said.

"It'd be nice, but not realistic. The government's as useful as tits on a bull when it comes to that. There's no pressure to produce a quality product without wastin' money…. Look, I recognize that there is some role for the State, but it should be a Night Watchman State."

"A Night Watchman State?" Sam asked.

"The government should stick to the bare essentials… the military,... the police,... the courts,... foreign policy,... trade deals… " Ainsley said.

"That's a lotta cuts." Sam said.

"Sam, have the walls ever come tumblin' down during a government shutdown?" Ainsley asked.

"And causes like technology literacy for the poor?" Sam asked

"Private charities could do it, or even a private company could make it work. We'd see a lot more of it if the government didn't tax us so much, to say nothin' of the fact that we can't afford any more National Debt." Ainsley's eyes twinkled.

"The National Debt's over 150 Billion. You think cutting 52 million program'll make a difference?" Sam asked.

"No,... but cutting all the countless government programs like that would make a huge difference, to say nothing of government subsidies and the administrative bloat." Ainsley said.

"And how d'you suppose we get that done?" Sam asked.

"It's a pipe dream for sure. I'm just sayin' what needs to happen." Ainsley said.

"You do realize that'd piss off the establishment on both sides, right?" Sam asked.

Ainsley shrugged. "So?"

Sam smiled. "Is that part of the Ainsley Seaborn presidential platform?" 'You may not see it, but I do.'

Ainsley rolled her eyes. "If… I ever ran, yes."

"Don't ya mean when you run?" Sam asked.

"No, I mean if... We've been through this. I don't want that much power or pomp." Ainsley said.

"You seem to enjoy the power you have over me." Sam quipped.

"What more could a girl want?" Ainsley winked.

"Hmm… well just know that I believe in you." Sam said.

Ainsley chuckled. "More or less than your idea of a hirin' a sumo wrestler for a hockey team?"

'Oh, haha.' Sam smiled. "More, definitely more."

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Sam's POV

Sam adjusted the brightness on his desk lamp before returning to edit a rough draft of his Education memo for the NEAP Chairman. 'Nah, that's too wordy.'

Leo knocked on the open door. "Mind if I come in?"

Sam blinked before looking up. "Not at all." Sam set his pen and paper down on his cherry wood desk before sitting back in his leather chair.

"I just wanted to apologize. Ainsley's one of us now. We never meant to accuse her of not being trustworthy." Leo's hands hung in his coat pockets.

Sam waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I was upset at first, but CJ and Ainsley talked me down."

"Okay, well I'm headed out for the night. See you tomorrow." Leo left.