CHAPTER 5

"Not now, Josh. Let's go in, I'm cold." Sam said as he unhooked himself to get out of the car. Josh nodded, feeling bad for pushing Sam when he knew he shouldn't. They rode quietly up the elevator and entered Josh's apartment. Josh took his bags and stowed them in his bedroom, when he returned to the living room, Sam had already turned on the TV to watch CJ. Josh stood back and just looked at Sam, he had come accustomed to the bruising and the chair before he left but now he was taking it all in again. The bruising on Sam's face had faded a lot, his nose was no longer taped and the black eyes were barely noticeable. He had lost a lot of weight over the last month, it was noticeable everywhere, his face was more gaunt, even through Sam's pants, Josh could see that his legs were thinner then ever. Even with therapy they were visibly smaller through the outline of his pants. This is not what Josh wanted when he came and got Sam from New York.

Josh knew Sam was having a hard time with everything, his mom couldn't come see him because she was still too ill to travel so she called every night and every night it took more out of Sam to tell her to stay and that he was fine. Everyone knew Sam would like his mother to come visit and just to be there but they also knew Sam would never ask her to fly to D.C the way she was. Sam's father called after he heard the accident on the news and called the White House of all places and asked to speak to Sam just days after. Sam had spoken to him a few times after he was released but only to tell him not to come visit and that he was fine. Before Josh left for Connecticut, he overhead Sam explode on the phone to his father that he was not fine and he was paralyzed, but still his father did not come visit. That on top of not speaking to the president and now being told that the last month of PT was worthless, it was a lot to shoulder.

"Sam." Josh began, he wasn't sure how to start this conversation but Sam did it for him by rolling away towards the kitchen.

"Sam, don't walk away from me!" Josh shouted and instantly regretted it. Sam stopped but remained facing away. "Sam, I'm sorry, its second nature to me, I say it all the time to Donna when she walks away with MY coffee." He said trying to lighten the mood.

Sam sighed. "The president called me his son." He said quietly, still turned away from Josh, he lifted his head and turned his chair to face him. Josh was staring back at him trying to comprehend, it was almost comical but Sam didn't see it that way.

"Yeah.and that bothers you?" Josh asked hesitatingly.

Sam looked astonished. "Yes it bothers me! I was just waking up and there he was telling me how much I meant to him and how much he wanted a son just like me and how much I reminded him of him when he was younger and and." Sam stopped breathing as fast as his injured lung would allow.

Josh was amazed that Sam could say that all in one sentence let alone one breath. No wonder he never had punctuation in his speeches, he never used them in everyday life.

Sam kept going after he got his breath back. "Why.if I am considered like a son to him.why am I the last to know everything, why am I the one who has to be protected just so later someone can break it to me that everything I thought I knew was wrong. I find out my true father is having an affair for 28 years and then the man I look up to as a father tells me he's dying with a disease and that everyone knew except me. If he considers me a son, why didn't he tell me, why didn't my father tell, why wait? Why wait until I am lying in a hospital paralyzed? Why not when I am healthy and able to speak back? Why, Josh?"

Josh stared at Sam a few seconds trying to get everything in order of what Sam just said. He never knew Sam felt this strongly about everything. Everybody assumed that Sam had gotten over those moments in his life, it showed how much everyone knew about him.

"Sam, the president isn't going to die and you are never meant to be the last to know but for some reason it just turns out that way. Sam.it's okay, you need to talk to him. He needs to talk to you. You can't avoid this forever, talk to him!" Josh stopped still trying to think of something constructive but he didn't have CJ's compassion or Toby's way with words.

'Thanks Josh. I'll think about it. I'm going to get going, I'm glad your mom's okay." He turned his chair towards the door and began to roll himself out.

"Hey Sam." Sam stopped but didn't turn towards Josh. "Do you need a ride on Wednesday?"

"Yeah, thanks." With that Sam let himself out and Josh stared at the closed door trying to think of a way to help his friend.

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The day before the operation Sam was getting out of the elevator at his apartment after a doctor's appointment, when he saw a girl leaving from his door.

"Excuse, were you looking for me?" Sam asked motioning toward his door as he retrieved his keys.

"Uh, yeah, hi, I'm Ellen, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes?" She replied.

Sam nodded and unlocked the door and let her in.

"Your not going to try and sell me something are you?" Sam smirked.

"No.yes.kind of." She smiled sheepishly.

Sam laughed and she immediately felt at ease.

"Please have a seat. I feel bad being the only one sitting." Sam said teasingly.

Ellen flushed and immediately sat on the couch.

"Now tell what you are or are not selling?'

"Well, actually I looking for a place to stay. I am looking for a place to rent. I just got here and I plan to attend the college near here but I need a place to stay for awhile so I can be counted as a resident and not have to pay as much in tuition. I just need a place to stay while I get a job. So I was wandering around your building to see if anyone wanted a roommate."

"Well, that is good selling. What do you plan on majoring in?"

"Law, my father was a lawyer and later into politics, he even made it to be a senator." Ellen smiled sadly as she reminisced.

Sam frowned. "Who was your father?"

Ellen smiled sadly but proudly said. "Senator Brian Lawson."

Sam sighed, he had attended the funeral of Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, they had been in the plane to Dominican Republic after 9/11. Sam had heard about their daughter and seen her at the funeral but she looked nothing like she did now. At the funeral she had been dressed in black, had black hair and seemed much younger. As Sam looked at her now, he could see the resemblance from Brian around the eyes. She now had blonde hair, dressed in jeans and sweater. She looked to be about 20, but at the time of the funeral she had been 17, so now she was at least 18.

"Ms. Lawson, I'm sorry for your loss, I attended your parents funeral. I'm Sam Seaborn."

"Seaborn, meaning Sam Seaborn-work with the president Sam Seaborn?"

"Guilty" Sam blushed and started to take off his jacket.

Ellen started to get up and moved to help Sam, she stopped and stood embarrassed.

Sam stopped and looked at her curiously.

"May I?" She asked gesturing to Sam's coat and his struggle to get out of it.

"Uh, sure, thanks." Sam answered.

Together the coat came off easily with little twisting on Sam's part. Sam sat quietly as she hung his coat in the hall.

"Okay, I have an extra room and I could use some help around here. As of now I have a maid, but I only need her for laundry. If you want you could stay here and maybe help out around here. I would understand if you wouldn't want that pressure or obligation. I have an operation tomorrow and I am going to need some extra help around here after and I would rather not hire from the outside. You probably don't remember, but I met you when you were around 15 and your father was first elected." Sam stopped and tried to think of something else to say. "I would understand if you don't want to, it's a lot to take on. Why don't you go home and think about it and call me tomorrow. I understand if not. I'm pretty sure this isn't what you were asking for, but it's all I can offer." Sam stopped his rambling and looked to see if Ellen was still even there.

Ellen smiled and held her hand out to Sam. "Hello roomie, IF you'll have me."

Sam stared at her hand in shock and smiled back, taking her hand into his own "of course, Miss Lawson. Welcome to the Seaborn residence."

Ellen shook his hand and cemented the deal.



Sam led her through the first floor of the apartment, showing her where things she would need were located. He explained what was upstairs including his bedroom that she would have now, he had taken the guest room ever since the accident since it was located on the main floor.

"I moved some of my stuff down to the guest room, but I left most of it because I didn't know I would be out of commission this long."

Ellen smiled sadly, then started up the stairs to check everything out. She returned quickly and asked to use the phone. Sam asked why and she turned red as she told him that all her luggage was at the train station waiting to be picked up. She didn't want to haul it around as she looked for a place. Sam laughed and automatically held out his car keys to his car, he explained how to use it with the special capabilities and not to park in the handicap spot even though it had a sticker on it. She left quickly and Sam rolled to the bathroom to take a bath, so he wouldn't have to get up to early the next day to take one before he checked into the hospital. He was not considered a priority case so his surgery was scheduled for four in the afternoon, he had to fast all day. He was not looking forward to that. In a few hours he knew Toby, CJ, Mallory and Josh would be over bringing dinner. He knew he would have fun explaining Ellen, especially to Mallory. He knew Mallory would say she was not jealous but he knew she would be, a young woman staying at his house at all hours. He would never admit it but he was going to look into getting a roommate, like a live in nurse, just someone to be a friend and not feel burdened when he asked for help. He knew that Josh would move in, in a heartbeat, but he had to erratic of hours and would never be there to help. He didn't want Mallory to have to move to help, if and when Mallory moved in it would be because he wanted to move their relationship to the next level and right now he wasn't sure if they were ready for the next level.

Sam dozed in the tub after it had filled he woke to a twinge in his back, it was pain just a little reminder that something was wrong, it had been present for the past week or so and Sam was glad that the operation was so soon. As soon as tomorrow was over, he could start over and be walking in 6 months, well that was the plan anyway. He could start work in 2 months and talk to the president.next year? No, he had to talk to him, maybe next week.whenever.

Sam got out of the tub and got ready to meet his friends, even though they probably wouldn't be around until after 7 and it was only 5. Sam rolled out into the living room at the same time Ellen returned with her suitcases. She set them down and crossed over to Sam.

"Thank you, Sam. It started raining, it would have taken forever to get cab." She smiled her appreciation and handed over the keys. Sam took them and put them in the drawer near the door, making sure she knew where they were located.

"Hey, a few of my friends are coming over in a few hours. I want you to meet them, but they won't be here for another two hours or so. If you have other plans."

Ellen smiled and nodded. "No plans, just let me freshen up and I'll start dinner."

Sam nodded and decided to wait until later to tell her she didn't need to.

At 7 the phone rang, Sam was on his other line talking to his mother, so Ellen grabbed the phone and answered it with Seaborn Residence. The man on the other side must not of been paying attention because he just started talking like Sam had answered.

"Um.excuse Sam is on the phone right now, can I take a message?" Ellen asked hesitantly when the man on the other end of the phone stopped to take a breath.

"Whom may I ask is this?" The man asked.

"This is Ellen, whom is this?" Ellen asked stressing whom.

"This is Leo McGarry, and this is Ellen who?"

"The Leo McGarry?" Ellen gasped.

"Yes, the one and only." Leo replied with a smirk, who was he talking too?

"This is Ellen Lawson, I never got to thank you for all the help you provided my family with after my parents died, Senator Brian Lawson. You were so kind." Ellen paused not sure what else to say.

Leo gasped and recollected himself.

"Ellen Lawson, what are you doing at Sam's, or did I call the wrong number?" Margaret had called, he was about to bellow her name when Ellen answered back.

"No, no you have the right number. I moved in with Sam, we're roommates, he was kind enough to take me in, so I can be counted at a resident this fall and go to the university near by. He won't say it but I think he also wanted someone here to help out and not just the maid, but I could be wrong, I just met him today."

"No, I think you're right, I could tell he was getting lonely. Especially when Josh left for a few days and didn't call every hour like usual. I'm glad your there. Have fun tonight. I called to give Sam the heads up that everyone will be over in an hour."

"Thanks Mr. McGarry, I will tell him when he gets off the other line."

"Hey, that's Leo to you, missy. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye." Ellen said and laid the phone back in its cradle and turned to see Sam coming out of the bedroom.

"Hey Sam, Leo called he said everyone will be over in an hour."

"Thanks Ellen. I'll be in my room, let me know when they arrive."

"Okay Sam." Ellen could tell Sam was tired she just hoped it was normal tired and not something else.