CHAPTER 9
"Sam, good to see you. How are you feeling?" Abby asked as she bent down to kiss him on the cheek.
"Phantom pains, more tired then usual, still on ten pills a day. Otherwise okay." Sam joked as she pushed him farther into the Oval Office.
"Someday Sam, someday it will all be in the past and you will wonder what all the fuss was about."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Abby reached out and shook Sam's hand.
"How many doctors have you been talking to, to be so truthful, Mr. Seaborn?" She asked teasingly.
Sam scrunched his face in disgust at being called 'Mr. Seaborn'
"Well, Dr. Bartlet too many, I have lost count, I have learned my lesson." Sam stopped in mid sentence and tightened his grip on Abby's hand as pain raced through his lower back,
Abby stepped up, startled, blocking Sam from everyone's view of him. She squeezed Sam's hand back to reassure him that she was there.
"Sam, what's the matter? Do you have any medication? Should we get help?" She rapid fired.
Sam shook his head no. He didn't want a big fuss made. "Happens-all-the- time." He managed to get out.
Abby glanced at the others in the room. Josh, Toby and Brent were talking baseball, or more like arguing. Jed, Leo, and Mallory were discussing something, but it seemed like the president was doing most of the talking. Ellen and Charlie were talking about colleges in the D.C area. None of them seemed to be aware of Abby and Sam. They knew to leave Abby alone when talking to a staff member, especially with Sam, she hadn't seen him since the first visit to his home many months ago.
Abby turned her attention back to Sam, when she felt him squeeze her hand again. She saw her security detail move closer, assessing the situation. She waved them back and saw Ron outside mutter into his sleeve. He came up to her, a move that did not go unnoticed by Jed.
"We have an ambulance on standby. We could have him out of here in 3 minutes." Ron whispered to her softly.
"No, he says he doesn't want to go and it's happened before." Abby said as Sam nodded along, still squeezing her hand and trying to keep his breathing under control. "But can we get him somewhere more private, away." she motioned to the group in the office. "Without them noticing, preferably?"
Ron glanced around then motioned to the portico. Abby nodded and Ron stepped up behind Sam and wheeled him out while Abby kept her grip on Sam. Josh, Ellen and the president watched them leave out of the corner of their eyes, knowing if anything was wrong Abby was the best person to be with.
There was a light wind, but they were otherwise protected from the cold. Seconds after the two appeared on the portico, two agents came out with blankets and coffee. Abby, with one hand wrapped a blanket around Sam and Ron grabbed the other to wrap around her. He knew, otherwise, she would put the second one around him too, not caring about herself.
"We have an ambulance standing by, ma'am"
"Thank you, Ron." She knelt down to Sam's eye level; he grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of pain washed over him.
"Sam, what's going on? We can get an ambulance, don't be the hero. None of us want to see you in pain. What do you want to do?" She could tell he was in intense pain. He opened his eyes and took a few short breaths. He still had a hold on her hand; his other hand was on his lower back.
"No, thanks. It will pass. Just a minute." He said slowly. "This has happened before, doctor said it would."
"How often?"
"At least once a day. Nerve awakenings or something." He winced and tightened his grip once again.
Abby checked her watch, this had been going on for ten minutes, a few more minutes ticked by as Sam tightened and loosened his grip as the pain waved through.
Just as Abby was going to turn to Ron to order the ambulance, Sam released a deep breath and released her hand completely.
He opened his eyes and Abby saw a complete transformation, it was like nothing had happened. He looked perfectly fine.
Abby sat back on her heels rubbing her hand unconsciously.
Sam's eyes widened in shock.
"I am sorry, ma'am." He apologized softly; he looked down, looking like he was a five-year-old who had got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize." at a loss for words, he reached forward to grasp her hand again but stopped when he saw two dark shadows move closer.
Abby smiled at Sam and then at Ron as she saw him raise his wrist and mutter something into it effectively making the two shadows back off. Still smiling, she reached up and covered his hand with her own.
"Sam, look at me." He was still looking down at his hands mortified that he had hurt the First Lady. He slowly raised his eyes to meet hers.
"Sam, it's okay. I understand, believe me. Worse has happened. I'm just glad I was here and Ron-otherwise you would have been hauled off- wheelchair or not-with the way my agents were moving in on you." Sam blushed in embarrassment and gave Ron a small smile, which he surprisingly returned.
"I'm just glad you weren't alone, when this happened. Are you sure this is supposed to happen? It seemed pretty severe." Abby questioned.
"Yeah, Dr. Morris, said it would happen. Ellen timed my longest at twenty- seven minutes, so that one wasn't so bad. Don't worry about it, Ellen and Mallory rushed me into the emergency room so many times at the beginning that the ER knew us all by name. All they can do is give me morphine, but by the time I am checked out and hooked up the episode is over." Sam explained in more detail then he knew he needed.
"Have you taken any medication tonight?"
"Yes, I took it before I came, so I wouldn't take in front of everyone. There is a wide variety of pills."
"Ready to back in? Mallory and Jed might think we are doing something bad." She smiled devilishly.
Sam blushed furiously as she laughed.
"Yes ma'am.no ma'am.um." Sam stuttered as she continued to laugh. She pulled off the blankets and returned them to the agent that appeared at her shoulder and wheeled him back in.
"There you two are!" Jed exclaimed, throwing an arm around Mallory, he continued "Mallory and I were beginning to think you two ran off!"
Sam blushed even more furiously and Abby laughed along with everyone else.
"What do you say, Mal, want to be the new First Lady?" Abby asked as she put her arm around Mallory's other side.
"Uh no thanks." She said as she wiggled out of their arms. "I think I'll stick with Samuel, here. At least with him I know I always have a seat." She continued as she sat on his lap giving him a quick kiss.
"On that note, its time for dinner!" Leo yelled looking away and leading everyone out the door.
"May I?" Josh asked as he took a stance behind Sam's chair.
"Onward servant, onward." Sam joked and pointed forward.
Josh rolled his eyes and began to push the two of them out the door with Toby, Brent, Ellen, Charlie and CJ bringing up the rear. "Geez, guys loose some weight!" Josh grunted in jokingly. "Excuse me?" Mallory asked turning around. "Josh, are you calling Mallory fat?" Sam questioned in mock astonishment. "What?! No, of course not. If anyone's fat, its you. After sitting on your ass all day what do you expect!" Josh said as everyone behind him laughed. Sam was at his lowest weight ever, they all knew. It was good to joke about it. "Eh-hem?" Sam said turning and poking Josh in the stomach. "What do you call that?" "That is baby fat! It comes off in the spring!" Josh defended. Donna snorted in front of him and he sent her a glare. "Josh, your forty, that is not baby fat. Give it up now, old boy, you are a fat, lazy, ancient politician!" Mallory said as everyone in the group laughed this time. "Good thing that didn't happen to you and me, huh Leo?" Jed said turning to Leo. Abby cleared her throat and poked Jed in the stomach and smuggled her laugh behind her hand. Jed turned to the group and wagged his finger threateningly. "Any of you make a peep and I'll have Ron throw you out so fast you won't know what hit you!" Jed growled. He turned and grabbed Abby squeezing her as her laughter came out loud and long. The rest of the group followed the First Couple silently to the dining room, keeping their laughter stifled anyway they could. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After dinner, the group with a few agents trailing behind, trekked into the theater. Sam rolled in and stopped at the back row parking next to the last seat. Mallory took the seat next to him. Josh, Donna, Charlie, CJ, and Toby sat in the row in front of them. Ellen and Brent sat in the row across from Sam and the First Couple with Leo sat took the seats in front of them.
They all had the night off and would have came-executive order or not.
"Can you see back there, Sam?" Jed yelled.
"Yes, sir."
"Good, this movie's for you!"
Sam gave a questioning glance to Mallory; she feigned innocent and reached for his hand trying to make herself as comfortable as she could as close to Sam as she could go.
Sam motioned her to move over to the next chair. She did in confusion, everyone was watching them but pretending they weren't. Sam picked himself up and moved into the seat Mallory had just vacated. The others smiled and shifted their gazes to the screen to keep up the pretense they weren't staring. Sam smiled at them all as the room around them darkened.
Up on the screen came
Harry Potter And the Sorcerer's Stone
Sam laughed as Charlie, Brent, Mallory, Ellen, Josh and Donna all cheered.
Mallory smiled at Sam and snuggled closer to him.
"When can we see the next one?" Sam asked as he snuggled her.
"One at a time, honey. One at a time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When do you plan to come back?" Charlie asked as they walked to their cars after the movie.
"Well, I've been helping Toby with the State of the Union for the past couple weeks, so probably around the fifteenth. I have loved my time off; you should try it sometime! I think I even have some time off left, but I'm ready to come back."
"About time!" Toby growled and CJ smacked him in the back of the head.
"Thank you, CJ" chorused Mal and Sam together.
The End
I know this was a little bit fluff but every story has it! Sequel maybe in the making
"Sam, good to see you. How are you feeling?" Abby asked as she bent down to kiss him on the cheek.
"Phantom pains, more tired then usual, still on ten pills a day. Otherwise okay." Sam joked as she pushed him farther into the Oval Office.
"Someday Sam, someday it will all be in the past and you will wonder what all the fuss was about."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Abby reached out and shook Sam's hand.
"How many doctors have you been talking to, to be so truthful, Mr. Seaborn?" She asked teasingly.
Sam scrunched his face in disgust at being called 'Mr. Seaborn'
"Well, Dr. Bartlet too many, I have lost count, I have learned my lesson." Sam stopped in mid sentence and tightened his grip on Abby's hand as pain raced through his lower back,
Abby stepped up, startled, blocking Sam from everyone's view of him. She squeezed Sam's hand back to reassure him that she was there.
"Sam, what's the matter? Do you have any medication? Should we get help?" She rapid fired.
Sam shook his head no. He didn't want a big fuss made. "Happens-all-the- time." He managed to get out.
Abby glanced at the others in the room. Josh, Toby and Brent were talking baseball, or more like arguing. Jed, Leo, and Mallory were discussing something, but it seemed like the president was doing most of the talking. Ellen and Charlie were talking about colleges in the D.C area. None of them seemed to be aware of Abby and Sam. They knew to leave Abby alone when talking to a staff member, especially with Sam, she hadn't seen him since the first visit to his home many months ago.
Abby turned her attention back to Sam, when she felt him squeeze her hand again. She saw her security detail move closer, assessing the situation. She waved them back and saw Ron outside mutter into his sleeve. He came up to her, a move that did not go unnoticed by Jed.
"We have an ambulance on standby. We could have him out of here in 3 minutes." Ron whispered to her softly.
"No, he says he doesn't want to go and it's happened before." Abby said as Sam nodded along, still squeezing her hand and trying to keep his breathing under control. "But can we get him somewhere more private, away." she motioned to the group in the office. "Without them noticing, preferably?"
Ron glanced around then motioned to the portico. Abby nodded and Ron stepped up behind Sam and wheeled him out while Abby kept her grip on Sam. Josh, Ellen and the president watched them leave out of the corner of their eyes, knowing if anything was wrong Abby was the best person to be with.
There was a light wind, but they were otherwise protected from the cold. Seconds after the two appeared on the portico, two agents came out with blankets and coffee. Abby, with one hand wrapped a blanket around Sam and Ron grabbed the other to wrap around her. He knew, otherwise, she would put the second one around him too, not caring about herself.
"We have an ambulance standing by, ma'am"
"Thank you, Ron." She knelt down to Sam's eye level; he grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of pain washed over him.
"Sam, what's going on? We can get an ambulance, don't be the hero. None of us want to see you in pain. What do you want to do?" She could tell he was in intense pain. He opened his eyes and took a few short breaths. He still had a hold on her hand; his other hand was on his lower back.
"No, thanks. It will pass. Just a minute." He said slowly. "This has happened before, doctor said it would."
"How often?"
"At least once a day. Nerve awakenings or something." He winced and tightened his grip once again.
Abby checked her watch, this had been going on for ten minutes, a few more minutes ticked by as Sam tightened and loosened his grip as the pain waved through.
Just as Abby was going to turn to Ron to order the ambulance, Sam released a deep breath and released her hand completely.
He opened his eyes and Abby saw a complete transformation, it was like nothing had happened. He looked perfectly fine.
Abby sat back on her heels rubbing her hand unconsciously.
Sam's eyes widened in shock.
"I am sorry, ma'am." He apologized softly; he looked down, looking like he was a five-year-old who had got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize." at a loss for words, he reached forward to grasp her hand again but stopped when he saw two dark shadows move closer.
Abby smiled at Sam and then at Ron as she saw him raise his wrist and mutter something into it effectively making the two shadows back off. Still smiling, she reached up and covered his hand with her own.
"Sam, look at me." He was still looking down at his hands mortified that he had hurt the First Lady. He slowly raised his eyes to meet hers.
"Sam, it's okay. I understand, believe me. Worse has happened. I'm just glad I was here and Ron-otherwise you would have been hauled off- wheelchair or not-with the way my agents were moving in on you." Sam blushed in embarrassment and gave Ron a small smile, which he surprisingly returned.
"I'm just glad you weren't alone, when this happened. Are you sure this is supposed to happen? It seemed pretty severe." Abby questioned.
"Yeah, Dr. Morris, said it would happen. Ellen timed my longest at twenty- seven minutes, so that one wasn't so bad. Don't worry about it, Ellen and Mallory rushed me into the emergency room so many times at the beginning that the ER knew us all by name. All they can do is give me morphine, but by the time I am checked out and hooked up the episode is over." Sam explained in more detail then he knew he needed.
"Have you taken any medication tonight?"
"Yes, I took it before I came, so I wouldn't take in front of everyone. There is a wide variety of pills."
"Ready to back in? Mallory and Jed might think we are doing something bad." She smiled devilishly.
Sam blushed furiously as she laughed.
"Yes ma'am.no ma'am.um." Sam stuttered as she continued to laugh. She pulled off the blankets and returned them to the agent that appeared at her shoulder and wheeled him back in.
"There you two are!" Jed exclaimed, throwing an arm around Mallory, he continued "Mallory and I were beginning to think you two ran off!"
Sam blushed even more furiously and Abby laughed along with everyone else.
"What do you say, Mal, want to be the new First Lady?" Abby asked as she put her arm around Mallory's other side.
"Uh no thanks." She said as she wiggled out of their arms. "I think I'll stick with Samuel, here. At least with him I know I always have a seat." She continued as she sat on his lap giving him a quick kiss.
"On that note, its time for dinner!" Leo yelled looking away and leading everyone out the door.
"May I?" Josh asked as he took a stance behind Sam's chair.
"Onward servant, onward." Sam joked and pointed forward.
Josh rolled his eyes and began to push the two of them out the door with Toby, Brent, Ellen, Charlie and CJ bringing up the rear. "Geez, guys loose some weight!" Josh grunted in jokingly. "Excuse me?" Mallory asked turning around. "Josh, are you calling Mallory fat?" Sam questioned in mock astonishment. "What?! No, of course not. If anyone's fat, its you. After sitting on your ass all day what do you expect!" Josh said as everyone behind him laughed. Sam was at his lowest weight ever, they all knew. It was good to joke about it. "Eh-hem?" Sam said turning and poking Josh in the stomach. "What do you call that?" "That is baby fat! It comes off in the spring!" Josh defended. Donna snorted in front of him and he sent her a glare. "Josh, your forty, that is not baby fat. Give it up now, old boy, you are a fat, lazy, ancient politician!" Mallory said as everyone in the group laughed this time. "Good thing that didn't happen to you and me, huh Leo?" Jed said turning to Leo. Abby cleared her throat and poked Jed in the stomach and smuggled her laugh behind her hand. Jed turned to the group and wagged his finger threateningly. "Any of you make a peep and I'll have Ron throw you out so fast you won't know what hit you!" Jed growled. He turned and grabbed Abby squeezing her as her laughter came out loud and long. The rest of the group followed the First Couple silently to the dining room, keeping their laughter stifled anyway they could. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After dinner, the group with a few agents trailing behind, trekked into the theater. Sam rolled in and stopped at the back row parking next to the last seat. Mallory took the seat next to him. Josh, Donna, Charlie, CJ, and Toby sat in the row in front of them. Ellen and Brent sat in the row across from Sam and the First Couple with Leo sat took the seats in front of them.
They all had the night off and would have came-executive order or not.
"Can you see back there, Sam?" Jed yelled.
"Yes, sir."
"Good, this movie's for you!"
Sam gave a questioning glance to Mallory; she feigned innocent and reached for his hand trying to make herself as comfortable as she could as close to Sam as she could go.
Sam motioned her to move over to the next chair. She did in confusion, everyone was watching them but pretending they weren't. Sam picked himself up and moved into the seat Mallory had just vacated. The others smiled and shifted their gazes to the screen to keep up the pretense they weren't staring. Sam smiled at them all as the room around them darkened.
Up on the screen came
Harry Potter And the Sorcerer's Stone
Sam laughed as Charlie, Brent, Mallory, Ellen, Josh and Donna all cheered.
Mallory smiled at Sam and snuggled closer to him.
"When can we see the next one?" Sam asked as he snuggled her.
"One at a time, honey. One at a time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When do you plan to come back?" Charlie asked as they walked to their cars after the movie.
"Well, I've been helping Toby with the State of the Union for the past couple weeks, so probably around the fifteenth. I have loved my time off; you should try it sometime! I think I even have some time off left, but I'm ready to come back."
"About time!" Toby growled and CJ smacked him in the back of the head.
"Thank you, CJ" chorused Mal and Sam together.
The End
I know this was a little bit fluff but every story has it! Sequel maybe in the making
