Chapter Seven:
3 Days
6:30 AM
"Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep."
The sound was repetative yet it took Karol several moments to register the sound as the alarm clock. She groaned and nearly rolled off the pulled out couch/bed. Eyes adjusting to wake mode, she got up and stumbled into the outstretched recliner causing herself to plow full force into the being sleeping there.
There was a yelp and several lights turned on.
Scott, baseball bat in hand, walked out of the bedroom. However, he lowered it as he saw what scene had unfolded.
Karol, her usual graceful morning self had gotten out of bed and fell onto Deryk who was sleeping on the recliner.
"Good!" Allison clapped her hands enthusiastically. "You're all up. I've got pancakes made and ready for eating. So... who's hungry?"
"It's three days until my fate is decided," Karol groaned. "I want caffine. I *NEED* coffee." She looked at Deryk who was still half asleep and leaned on the foot rest part of the recliner. "You'r a doctor. Hook me up on a caffine IV or something."
"Take some pills and call me in the morning," he joked and put the foot rest down.
His sister stumbled to the ground.
Karol picked herself up, growled and then lept at Deryk intent on doing as much damage as possible to his face without damaging it so bad that it scared the reporters away.
"Ahhh!" Deryk yelled and jumped of the recliner. The safest place to be in the apartment was the kitchen because that was Allison's realm and *NO ONE* went against Mrs. Campbell. "Morning, Mrs. C," he said and jumped behind her into the kitchen to sit at the small table for breakfast. He looked out into the living room and stuck his tounge out at Karol.
The Texas Senator disappeared back into the bedroom and came out in full dress with is wife on his arm. There was the exchange of 'good morning' from everyone as they all gathered in the kitchen to eat. Annie, Allison and Deryk sat at the table while Scott and Karol sat on the counters.
Looking around at them all, Karol knew that it was going to be a next couple of days.
***
12:15 AM
"Ever find your car?" Eryk asked the Communications director as they were walking towards the Oval Office.
Greg shook his head. "Nope. And I still hate people."
"The psychiatrist never made it through security did he?"
Jobey walked towards them and pointed back in the direction of the main entrance. "Theres some doctor guy sitting down there waiting for someone to sign him in..."
Eryk grinned and Greg gave him a death look.
"Go on in boys," Mrs. Cook said to them as the came to the door of the Oval Office. "He's waiting for you."
The two of them walked in, then walked over to the President's desk. Eryk handed him a blue velvet folder with the Presidental seal on it.
Schumer eyed the folder and then the two staffers. "Both speeches?"
Greg nodded. "One if Billings wins, one if Seaborn does."
"Just make sure you don't read the wrong one," Eryk joked and then fell silent after recieving a very strict glare from the Communications Director at his left.
The President set the folder down on his desk and then sighed. He turned around and looked out the window of his office. "I'm going to miss it," he said, back turned to them still.
"Me, too, sir," Eryk dared to speak again.
He turned around and smiled at Eryk. "We had a good seven years didn't we?" he asked Ashcroft.
Greg winced at the acknowledgement of President Leopold Daniels. A great man who had had big dreams for America and the power to impliment them. He'd been in office for almost a year when he'd died tragiclly of a stroke. Schumer had taken over and ran once again, leaving the man with big dreams six feet under.
The Deputy Communications Director nodded. "Yes, sir. We did."
Looking over at the younger man, Greg could tell that it hurt Eryk too. Of all the staffers, he'd been closest to the President. Closer even that the Chief of Staff. Leonard had brought Eryk Ashcroft from a little farm town in Northern New York and all the way to the White House.
Schumer cleared his throat. "I'll see you boys later," he said, clearly dismissing them.
They both nodded and left the Oval Office.
Outside, Eryk sighed deeply. "I wish he could have been here these past seven years," he told Greg. "Think of all the things that woulda turned out different."
"Yeah," Greg replied. "Like Lyman not taking so many vacations. He only came on because of Leonard. Tell you the truth, I'm under the impression he doesn't like Schumer."
"Well, I don't have to worry about who the President is after this," Eryk said. "I pity you."
"Just do me a favor and vote for Seaborn," Greg told him as the two of them split ways to go into their offices. "He was a speech writer himself. He comes in, I might actually get to sleep five hours a night."
"Just because you said that, I'm voting for Billings," Jobey jested and ducked into Wil Parks's office before Greg could hit him.
***
3:43 PM
"You leaving early, Lisa?" Petey asked her as she grabbed her coat off the coat rack.
"Think you and Sean can hold the fort down?" Lisa asked them then sniffled. "Taylor is sick in bed too. I don't know why I came... just don't get sick before the election party okay, Petey?"
Petey only seemed to have picked up on one part of that. "Taylor is sick?" Taylor Jennings was Lisa's roommate and she'd hooked her and Petey up several months before.
"Yeah," Lisa replied. "Now I am. I'm going home."
She walked out the front and went to the corner to flag a cab. The cabbies had other ideas. No one wanted to pick someone so obviously sick up. Dejected, Lisa sat on the bus stop for a bus, unknown to her, had a flat down on Easter Market.
A black car with tinted windows rolled up and stopped in front of her. The back window rolled down, and Sam Seaborn stuck his head out. "Need a lift, Ms. Morris?"
Lisa was shocked. "Senator Seaborn... wow... uh... hi..."
Seaborn grinned. "Where you going?"
"My apartment, sir," she answered. "But really, I can wait for the bus or a cab."
"Nonsense. How can I leave a beautiful young lady, like yourself, out alone on the curb?" He opened the door. "Where's your apartment."
"I really appreciate this," Lisa thanked him. "I really do."
"Apartment, ma'am?" Bannerman asked from the driver's seat.
"Oh, it's on Seventh, right past the East Capitol junction."
The Secret Service man nodded and the car headed that way.
"So, Ms. Morris," Sam said. "What made you decided to work for my election?"
She shrugged. "I don't know," she answered. "I ran out of money for college, my parents are trying to pay for my sister who got into Harvard and its hard enough without me needing money, too. So I left Georgetown with a bachelors and decided to be part of the next election, just for the hell of it." Her replied was paused several times for Lisa to sneeze, sniffle, etc.
It wasn't long before they'd reached the corner of Seventh Street and East Capitol. Lisa had them drop her off there, nearly demanding it, saying she wasn't so sick and incompetent that she couldn't walk to her apartment.
Sam and Max watched her go and waited until they were sure she was in the building before turning back down East Capitol and heading for the National Airport. He'd left the boys with Josh and Donna, as he and Max had the rest of the family to pick up.
***
4:37 PM
"Jenna!" Bobby Towlhouse called out from the waiting area by Gate Five. "Over here!" He attempted to make it through the surge of people but was unsuccessful.
Hearing him, Jenna gazed around looking for him, finally noticing him and pushing through the crowd to get to him. She hugged him then gave him a quick kiss before someone behind them was knocked into them by three children.
"How's it looking around here, Dad?" one of the two boys, probably twins, though one had bark brown hair and the other's was lighter.
"Can't you guys talk about anything else?" the woman Jenna and Bobby decided must be his wife.
"Seaborn and McShane have dropped in DC and Virgina but we're up in the state of Maryland."
Jenna grabbed Bobby and ducked behind another family. Cover was running low, a lot of people had gone to pick up their luggage.
"What?" Bobby asked.
"That was him," she told him.
"Who?"
"Seaborn."
Bobby looked over and, sure enough, saw Sam Seaborn and family. "So? Why are we hidding?"
"Because... want to go to the Seaborn election day party with me?" she asked quickly. "As a date. *Not* a reporter. I'll have to vouch for you because no reporters are allowed. Don't make me a liar."
"Sure!" he said. "I'd love to go. But... why are you asking me now?"
"Because *I* wasn't planning on going but now that yo-"
"Jenna! Jenna Clark!"
The two reporters spun around. "Yes, Senator Seaborn?"
Sam shook his head. "I'm no longer a Senator," he told her. "Why does everyone keep saying I am? But beyond that, you consider my offer?"
"Yes, sir, I have," Jenna half lied. She'd considered it but because of Bobby she'd decided not to make a decision. About now, she wanted to kill Bobby for that. She felt guilty, realizing that anyone else would have decided already whether or not they wanted the job.
"Well, you don't have to make a decision until later," Sam said. "We could use you on the team, though."
The twin boys ran over to their father. "He has a gun!" they exclaimed in unision pointing back at the Secret Service man.
Sam laughed then as an explaination, he told Bobby and Jenna, "They're named after a Secret Service man who died during the Bartlet administration and they decided they want to be just like him and join the Secret Service. They've annoyed every agent they've ever seen."
"Hey, Sam," Mallory Seaborn said. "We're going to go get the kids's stuff."
"Okay, I'm coming," Sam said then reached out his hand. He shook Jenna's and then Bobby's, saying "Nice to meet you" before he and Max ran to catch up with Mallory and the kids.
Bobby laughed once they were gone. "Almost backed you into a corner didn't he?"
Jenna hit him in the chest. "Let's go before he comes back and makes me even more guilty."
***
6:30 AM
"Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep."
The sound was repetative yet it took Karol several moments to register the sound as the alarm clock. She groaned and nearly rolled off the pulled out couch/bed. Eyes adjusting to wake mode, she got up and stumbled into the outstretched recliner causing herself to plow full force into the being sleeping there.
There was a yelp and several lights turned on.
Scott, baseball bat in hand, walked out of the bedroom. However, he lowered it as he saw what scene had unfolded.
Karol, her usual graceful morning self had gotten out of bed and fell onto Deryk who was sleeping on the recliner.
"Good!" Allison clapped her hands enthusiastically. "You're all up. I've got pancakes made and ready for eating. So... who's hungry?"
"It's three days until my fate is decided," Karol groaned. "I want caffine. I *NEED* coffee." She looked at Deryk who was still half asleep and leaned on the foot rest part of the recliner. "You'r a doctor. Hook me up on a caffine IV or something."
"Take some pills and call me in the morning," he joked and put the foot rest down.
His sister stumbled to the ground.
Karol picked herself up, growled and then lept at Deryk intent on doing as much damage as possible to his face without damaging it so bad that it scared the reporters away.
"Ahhh!" Deryk yelled and jumped of the recliner. The safest place to be in the apartment was the kitchen because that was Allison's realm and *NO ONE* went against Mrs. Campbell. "Morning, Mrs. C," he said and jumped behind her into the kitchen to sit at the small table for breakfast. He looked out into the living room and stuck his tounge out at Karol.
The Texas Senator disappeared back into the bedroom and came out in full dress with is wife on his arm. There was the exchange of 'good morning' from everyone as they all gathered in the kitchen to eat. Annie, Allison and Deryk sat at the table while Scott and Karol sat on the counters.
Looking around at them all, Karol knew that it was going to be a next couple of days.
***
12:15 AM
"Ever find your car?" Eryk asked the Communications director as they were walking towards the Oval Office.
Greg shook his head. "Nope. And I still hate people."
"The psychiatrist never made it through security did he?"
Jobey walked towards them and pointed back in the direction of the main entrance. "Theres some doctor guy sitting down there waiting for someone to sign him in..."
Eryk grinned and Greg gave him a death look.
"Go on in boys," Mrs. Cook said to them as the came to the door of the Oval Office. "He's waiting for you."
The two of them walked in, then walked over to the President's desk. Eryk handed him a blue velvet folder with the Presidental seal on it.
Schumer eyed the folder and then the two staffers. "Both speeches?"
Greg nodded. "One if Billings wins, one if Seaborn does."
"Just make sure you don't read the wrong one," Eryk joked and then fell silent after recieving a very strict glare from the Communications Director at his left.
The President set the folder down on his desk and then sighed. He turned around and looked out the window of his office. "I'm going to miss it," he said, back turned to them still.
"Me, too, sir," Eryk dared to speak again.
He turned around and smiled at Eryk. "We had a good seven years didn't we?" he asked Ashcroft.
Greg winced at the acknowledgement of President Leopold Daniels. A great man who had had big dreams for America and the power to impliment them. He'd been in office for almost a year when he'd died tragiclly of a stroke. Schumer had taken over and ran once again, leaving the man with big dreams six feet under.
The Deputy Communications Director nodded. "Yes, sir. We did."
Looking over at the younger man, Greg could tell that it hurt Eryk too. Of all the staffers, he'd been closest to the President. Closer even that the Chief of Staff. Leonard had brought Eryk Ashcroft from a little farm town in Northern New York and all the way to the White House.
Schumer cleared his throat. "I'll see you boys later," he said, clearly dismissing them.
They both nodded and left the Oval Office.
Outside, Eryk sighed deeply. "I wish he could have been here these past seven years," he told Greg. "Think of all the things that woulda turned out different."
"Yeah," Greg replied. "Like Lyman not taking so many vacations. He only came on because of Leonard. Tell you the truth, I'm under the impression he doesn't like Schumer."
"Well, I don't have to worry about who the President is after this," Eryk said. "I pity you."
"Just do me a favor and vote for Seaborn," Greg told him as the two of them split ways to go into their offices. "He was a speech writer himself. He comes in, I might actually get to sleep five hours a night."
"Just because you said that, I'm voting for Billings," Jobey jested and ducked into Wil Parks's office before Greg could hit him.
***
3:43 PM
"You leaving early, Lisa?" Petey asked her as she grabbed her coat off the coat rack.
"Think you and Sean can hold the fort down?" Lisa asked them then sniffled. "Taylor is sick in bed too. I don't know why I came... just don't get sick before the election party okay, Petey?"
Petey only seemed to have picked up on one part of that. "Taylor is sick?" Taylor Jennings was Lisa's roommate and she'd hooked her and Petey up several months before.
"Yeah," Lisa replied. "Now I am. I'm going home."
She walked out the front and went to the corner to flag a cab. The cabbies had other ideas. No one wanted to pick someone so obviously sick up. Dejected, Lisa sat on the bus stop for a bus, unknown to her, had a flat down on Easter Market.
A black car with tinted windows rolled up and stopped in front of her. The back window rolled down, and Sam Seaborn stuck his head out. "Need a lift, Ms. Morris?"
Lisa was shocked. "Senator Seaborn... wow... uh... hi..."
Seaborn grinned. "Where you going?"
"My apartment, sir," she answered. "But really, I can wait for the bus or a cab."
"Nonsense. How can I leave a beautiful young lady, like yourself, out alone on the curb?" He opened the door. "Where's your apartment."
"I really appreciate this," Lisa thanked him. "I really do."
"Apartment, ma'am?" Bannerman asked from the driver's seat.
"Oh, it's on Seventh, right past the East Capitol junction."
The Secret Service man nodded and the car headed that way.
"So, Ms. Morris," Sam said. "What made you decided to work for my election?"
She shrugged. "I don't know," she answered. "I ran out of money for college, my parents are trying to pay for my sister who got into Harvard and its hard enough without me needing money, too. So I left Georgetown with a bachelors and decided to be part of the next election, just for the hell of it." Her replied was paused several times for Lisa to sneeze, sniffle, etc.
It wasn't long before they'd reached the corner of Seventh Street and East Capitol. Lisa had them drop her off there, nearly demanding it, saying she wasn't so sick and incompetent that she couldn't walk to her apartment.
Sam and Max watched her go and waited until they were sure she was in the building before turning back down East Capitol and heading for the National Airport. He'd left the boys with Josh and Donna, as he and Max had the rest of the family to pick up.
***
4:37 PM
"Jenna!" Bobby Towlhouse called out from the waiting area by Gate Five. "Over here!" He attempted to make it through the surge of people but was unsuccessful.
Hearing him, Jenna gazed around looking for him, finally noticing him and pushing through the crowd to get to him. She hugged him then gave him a quick kiss before someone behind them was knocked into them by three children.
"How's it looking around here, Dad?" one of the two boys, probably twins, though one had bark brown hair and the other's was lighter.
"Can't you guys talk about anything else?" the woman Jenna and Bobby decided must be his wife.
"Seaborn and McShane have dropped in DC and Virgina but we're up in the state of Maryland."
Jenna grabbed Bobby and ducked behind another family. Cover was running low, a lot of people had gone to pick up their luggage.
"What?" Bobby asked.
"That was him," she told him.
"Who?"
"Seaborn."
Bobby looked over and, sure enough, saw Sam Seaborn and family. "So? Why are we hidding?"
"Because... want to go to the Seaborn election day party with me?" she asked quickly. "As a date. *Not* a reporter. I'll have to vouch for you because no reporters are allowed. Don't make me a liar."
"Sure!" he said. "I'd love to go. But... why are you asking me now?"
"Because *I* wasn't planning on going but now that yo-"
"Jenna! Jenna Clark!"
The two reporters spun around. "Yes, Senator Seaborn?"
Sam shook his head. "I'm no longer a Senator," he told her. "Why does everyone keep saying I am? But beyond that, you consider my offer?"
"Yes, sir, I have," Jenna half lied. She'd considered it but because of Bobby she'd decided not to make a decision. About now, she wanted to kill Bobby for that. She felt guilty, realizing that anyone else would have decided already whether or not they wanted the job.
"Well, you don't have to make a decision until later," Sam said. "We could use you on the team, though."
The twin boys ran over to their father. "He has a gun!" they exclaimed in unision pointing back at the Secret Service man.
Sam laughed then as an explaination, he told Bobby and Jenna, "They're named after a Secret Service man who died during the Bartlet administration and they decided they want to be just like him and join the Secret Service. They've annoyed every agent they've ever seen."
"Hey, Sam," Mallory Seaborn said. "We're going to go get the kids's stuff."
"Okay, I'm coming," Sam said then reached out his hand. He shook Jenna's and then Bobby's, saying "Nice to meet you" before he and Max ran to catch up with Mallory and the kids.
Bobby laughed once they were gone. "Almost backed you into a corner didn't he?"
Jenna hit him in the chest. "Let's go before he comes back and makes me even more guilty."
***