IV
She knew she was only delaying the inevitable. The president had to be told that things were about to come to a head. To let him be blindsided by this would be not just neglectful, but actively cruel. No amount of preparation was going to make this kind of raking over past injuries easy to stomach, but at least he could know when it was coming.
Still, she bargained with herself, it would be better to tell him tonight. The news was nearly spilt, but the White House Press Corps would do some very careful fact checking before they brought this kind of thing into the press room, and to tell him this early and let it hang over his head all day was hardly necessary.
Caught up in analysing her own argument to see how much was sound and how much just reluctance, CJ literally bumped into Sam coming the other way.
"Sorry, Sam- Holy God, what happened to your face?"
"Morning, CJ," he said dryly.
CJ stepped up to him and peered at his chin closely. "Is that... stubble?"
"It's my revenge."
She gave him an eloquent look. "It's your revenge."
"Steve grew a beard a few weeks ago," Sam explained. "I hated it, and it took me forever to convince him to shave it off." He grinned devilishly. "Now he too can experience the freakiness that is kissing a guy with facial hair."
CJ snickered. "Well, much as I, um, applaud the deviousness of your plan, that's really more of a facial fuzz at the moment."
"Give it time," he insisted optimistically.
CJ sighed, and shook her head. Then, impulsively, she stepped forward and gave him a sudden hug. "Thank you, Samuel," she mumbled against his shoulder.
Sam tilted his head to one side to look at her as she stepped back. "What was that for?" he smiled in puzzlement.
"Giving me something to smirk over in an otherwise crappy day," she explained.
"All part of the service," he shrugged easily, turning to continue on his way. "Coming to senior staff?" he asked over his shoulder.
"In a minute," she nodded. "I've just got to go check on something with Carol."
She hurried back to her office. On the way, her face was split by a sudden uncontrollable grin.
Leo straightened up as the senior staff started to trickle in. "Okay, Sam, Toby, what are you- Sam, did you forget to shave this morning?"
Sam brushed a hand over his chin. "It's a beard."
"It's really not," Toby scowled.
"Okay." He left that one alone. "What are you guys working on?"
"I'm going over the language on the trade unions thing for Josh," Sam explained. "And Toby's- glaring at me, mostly."
Toby glared at him.
"Sam, are you meeting with anybody today?" Leo asked him.
He frowned. "Just a few guys from finance. Why-?"
Leo gave him a sharp look. "You meet with anybody in an official capacity, that's either gonna be a real beard, or it's gonna be gone, okay? We don't need you representing the White House looking like you slept in your office for three days."
"Curiously, nobody ever says this when I have slept in my office for three days," Sam noted.
"That's because when you do that, you have the sense to shave," CJ put in as she arrived and took her seat.
"Okay." Leo glanced down at his notes. "Now, can we-"
The door creaked as Josh strolled in. He took one look at Sam, and immediately started to snicker.
"Can we start this meeting?" Leo demanded irritably.
"Can we point and laugh?" Josh wanted to know.
He changed his mind. "You know what? Let's just wrap this up now. All of you, out, before I fire the lot of you. Josh, stick behind a minute."
The others all filed out, Sam cupping his chin defensively and giving Josh a dirty look.
Leo had a feeling this was going to be a long day.
Josh looked across at his boss expectantly. "What's up? Apart from Sam's inherent comedy value," he added, smirking.
Leo gave him a sideways glance. "I seem to recall a certain law student who once thought it would be a good idea to try growing a moustache one summer vacation."
Josh became suddenly very preoccupied with his shoes. "You needed to see me?"
"You're meeting with Vicky Henderson?"
"It's just lunch."
Leo sighed. "Josh, I know you'd like to be able to go somewhere on gay marriage, but realistically-"
"I'm just testing the waters," he shrugged defensively.
"These are shark-infested waters, Josh."
"Leo, she knows I'm not- It's just a lunch."
"You're lunching your way through the moderate centre of Congress, Josh, and people are beginning to take notice." He hesitated for a beat. "You're keeping this little-league?"
"I'm not starting anything, Leo," he insisted earnestly. "I'm just feeling for our roots on this."
"Okay," he agreed quietly. "Okay. But I don't want this on the president's radar, and I don't want CJ getting the question."
"That won't happen." Whatever daydreaming he might be doing, Josh knew better than to call attention to the administration's position on such a divisive issue. If they knew they could get something through, they could just take a position and damn the fallout, but when their hands were tied, all they could look forward to were attacks from one side for considering, and attacks from the other for not doing it.
Leo nodded, and then gave him a small smile. "Josh," he added, as he turned away.
"Huh?"
"You might want to try Innes and Garvey after Henderson."
Josh grinned back. He reached for the door, but Margaret came through it as he was about to open it.
"Leo." She indicated the phone, and he picked it up.
"Leo McGarry." Josh hovered in the doorway as Leo listened, stony face betraying nothing. "When did this happen? Okay, do we-? Okay. Yeah."
He put the phone down.
Josh frowned. "Leo, what's happening?"
He looked up at his deputy gravely. "The Ambassador to Cambodia's disappeared."
Jed glanced up as the door to Leo's office swung open. His Chief of Staff looked grave; he got to his feet, wearily ready for the latest crisis.
"Leo?"
"You're needed in the Sit Room," he explained without preamble. "The Ambassador to Cambodia's disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
"He left his home seven o'clock last night, never came back. And given the situation out there-"
Jed winced. "They're sure this isn't-?"
"He missed two meetings and lunch with his wife. This is a thing."
"Aw, hell." He sighed and rubbed his forehead, and Leo gave him a look.
"You okay? You look beat."
"It's been a busy five years," Jed reminded him sardonically.
They headed for the Situation Room.