Title: Complicated

Author: AAV

Feedback: Please! Alexis2100@hotmail.com

Summary: Romance, especially when you work at the White House, is never easy.

Rating: PG, for slight sexual innuendo and mild language

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it… The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin, the songs featured in the story, not any of it. This is just my humble attempt to create a story I would have liked to seen played out on screen. No infringement was intended.


Chapter 3: Dance With Me

After they'd left, Ainsley approached Sam. "Looks like you've got yourself a man," she said, playfully tapping Sam on the arm.

"Funny," Sam said with no humor in his voice.

"Oh, relax, Sam," Ainsley said, linking her arm with his. She was in a surprisingly cheerful mood and wasn't quite sure why.

Sam also didn't know what had made her so cheery, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with Fred, Mr. Super Psychologist.

"Well, gang, where to?" Josh asked. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not quite ready to call it a night."

"I think something's going on over on the mall tonight. Should we check it out?" Donna asked.

Sam looked to Ainsley for her opinion. She only smiled. "Sure, why not," he replied. He really wished Ainsley looked as miserable as he felt.

The four set off, Josh and Donna walking side by side, with Ainsley and Sam a few steps behind them. Ainsley kept her arm linked with Sam's.

"So," Sam began, "things looked awfully… cozy between you and Fred."

"Jealous?" Ainsley couldn't resist the temptation. She had to get Sam back somehow, and she wasn't angry enough to really fight with him.

"I, uh, I am NOT jealous." Sam tried to think of a better response, but that's all he could come up with.

Ainsley laughed and took delight in Sam's blushing. She threw around the idea of telling Sam that she and Fred had no future, but decided to let him suffer a little longer. After all, he crashed her date, and he was a Democrat.

They walked a little longer in silence, both enjoying the nearness of each other without being able to identify exactly what they were feeling.

Ainsley spoke first. "Aren't they just perfect together?"

"Josh and Donna?" Ainsley nodded in response. Sam continued, smiling, "Yeah, they are perfect. I just wish that one of them would finally break down and say how they're feeling. This must be the fifteenth time that Josh has pulled something like this."

"And Donna keeps taking him back because she's secretly in love with him." Ainsley finished for him.

"Exactly. They're both afraid of admitting how they feel. And the political end of it doesn't help things."

"You know, sometimes you just have to say 'screw politics'." Ainsley said with such conviction, Sam stopped to look at her.

"This coming from an ardent Republican?"

"Some things are more important than politics," Ainsley said quietly. She drew her gaze away from Sam. "Like relationships," then even softer, "like love."

Sam reached out and cupped Ainsley's chin in his hand, raising her face so she was looking into his eyes. He moved closer to her, leaning in to kiss her.

"Hey! There's a concert on the mall!" Donna exclaimed, not realizing what she was interrupting.

Sam pulled back abruptly, startling Ainsley.

The sweet voice of Jessica Andrews flowed through the air, capturing Ainsley in the words she sang.

I can stand with the weight of the world on my shoulders
I can fight with the toughest of the tough
I can laugh in the face of all my insecurities
Anytime, anywhere, anything
I'm strong enough

She glanced at Sam. "If only…" she thought.

"Josh!" Donna said. "You owe me. Dance with me."

"Gladly," Josh replied, giving Donna an over-exaggerated bow, then taking her hand and pulling her into his arms.

Ainsley stood still, watching the couple dance, not sure what to do with herself. She fought to get the image of what had nearly happened out of her head. Did she and Sam almost… Kiss?

Sam stood beside Ainsley, his heart as well as his mind racing. "What were you thinking, Sam? Or more, what were you thinking with? Ainsley is a friend. She obviously isn't interested in you or else she wouldn't have been so chummy with Fred." The thought of Ainsley and Fred as anything more than mere acquaintances made Sam sick. "You've really fallen hard, Seaborn," he said to himself, turning to gaze at Ainsley.

She looked so beautiful, and Sam wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms. As the young country singer continued, Sam realized he had a perfectly reasonable excuse to do so.

But when you're holding me like this
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly falling in love

"If I may?" he asked, extending his hand to Ainsley.

She smiled at him, positively radiating. "I thought you'd never ask."

Sam pulled Ainsley to him, holding her right hand in his, his left resting comfortably on her waist.

Ainsley breathed him in, reveling in his essence.

So let consequence do what it will to us I don't care
Let the stars stand as witness to it all
Say the word and tonight I will follow you anywhere
I just can't pretend anymore I'm too sturdy to fall

Cause when you're holding me like this
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly Falling in love

I am not afraid

She looked into Sam's eyes, trying to read his expression but being unable to. Sam responded by pulling Ainsley in closer to him, so that her head rested on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey, Josh," Donna whispered. "Look!" She gestured to where Sam and Ainsley stood swaying gently to the music.

"I think Sam has finally met his match, in every regard." Josh responded.

"And what about you?" Donna asked. "Have you ever met your match, Josh Lyman?"

Josh held Donna to him, cupping her face in his hands. "I'd thought you'd figured that one out by now, Donnatella."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead, then held her to him, never wanting to let go.

I am not afraid

'Cause when you're holding me like this
I'm carelessly lost in your touch
I'm completely defenseless
Baby, it's almost too much
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly falling...
I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly
Falling in love

"Sam?" Ainsley spoke softly, as she swayed in his arms. "I should be mad at you, but I'm not."

"I deserve you to be mad at me, but I'm glad you're not. I don't like it when you're mad at me."

Ainsley's eyes widened. "You don't? Sam, all we do is argue!"

"But that's different… That's… intellectual stimulation. We argue and get frustrated with each other not because we feel we're right but because we know that the other person is standing on solid ground. We know there's another choice out there that goes against what we want to believe and we don't want to admit it, so we just yell and scream and go off in a huff because it's easier than facing the truth. That, I don't mind. We get over it in a few hours, or at most a day.

"What I don't like is when I do something that disappoints you and you get this look in your eye, like you did earlier tonight. You may not be mad at me now, but you were then, and I hated it." Sam paused.

While he was talking, they had stopped dancing, and Ainsley had taken a step back so she could look Sam fully in the eye. She saw more there than she ever had before. What he said touched her deeply because it was exactly how she felt… As if he had read her mind. She said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"I should have stopped Josh," Sam continued, "but the truth is, I didn't want to." Sam blushed slightly. Ainsley wanted nothing more than to kiss him.

"I mean… I didn't… I should have…" Sam stumbled over his words. "Some speechwriter, Seaborn," he mumbled to himself, absently rubbing the back of his neck.

He glanced furtively at Ainsley, who was trying desperately not to laugh. Sam just looked so adorable, and she was thrilled at the thought that he may have romantic feelings toward her. She tried her best to look supportive while keeping herself from wrapping her arms around him and never letting go. "Maybe that's what he wants," Ainsley thought, but she couldn't find the nerve to do it.

Sam, frustrated with his feelings, exclaimed, "I don't really have any right to interfere in your personal life. I'm sorry." He turned to walk away.

"Sam, wait!" Ainsley yelled after him. He turned around to face her; looking so forlorn Ainsley's heart almost broke.

Thoughts raced through Ainsley's head. "Just tell him how you feel! But how do you feel? He's a Democrat! An incredibly sexy and intelligent Democrat, but… You work with him, Ains, it would never work out. But how will you know if you don't give it a shot?" Ainsley blinked, and noticed Sam looking at her expectantly. She struggled to remember what she'd spoken aloud and what she had thought.

She sighed deeply. "Sam… You've right, you don't have any right to interfere in my personal life…"

Sam's face sunk further. "Great, Seaborn, she hates you," he thought.

"However," Ainsley continued, and Sam perked up, "I'm not all together upset that you did… I mean Fred and I would never have worked out, whether or not you showed up."

"Really?" said Sam, a little too excitedly. "What kind of guy is named Fred, anyway…"

Ainsley laughed slightly.

Sam cleared his throat and willed himself to stop blushing. Since when did he start to act so stupid around women?

He concentrated on her beautiful eyes, focusing on the present. "If you don't mind my asking, why wouldn't it have worked out?" Sam paused briefly. "Was he a Democrat?" A wide grin spread across his face.

A beatific smile graced Ainsley's. "Worse." She leaned in close to Sam, as if sharing a secret. "Independent."

They both mock shivered, then burst out laughing, the feel of Ainsley's breath lingering on Sam's ear.

"Glad to see you two can get along!" Josh said, clapping Sam on the shoulder.

Sam and Ainsley had almost forgotten that Josh and Donna were with them. The latter couple had had enough dancing and had been enjoying watching Sam suffer before coming over.

"Well, it's late," Josh continued, "I'm going to take Donna home."

Sam looked at Josh with a knowing smile. Josh smacked him upside the head then said sternly, "Goodbye, Sam." He turned to Ainsley. "Thank you for not hating me."

She laughed and replied, "How could I? After all you saved Donna from the evils of gay Bruce."

Josh turned a slight shade of crimson while Donna burst out laughing.

"Well," he said, "Donna, let's go."

"Just a minute, I need to talk to Ainsley." Donna dragged Ainsley by the arm until they were out of hearing range.

"So???" she asked excitedly.

"So… what?" Ainsley replied.

"Come on, Ains, we were watching the two of you, you two were looking pretty close."

"The same could be said for you, Donna. I take it you forgave Josh?"

She sighed happily. "Yeah, like I always do. I know his heart's in the right place."

Ainsley hesitated a moment. "Fred picked up on something interesting about Josh that most of us have been feeling for a while."

"What?" Donna's interest was very high.

"Maybe I shouldn't…"

"Ainsley Hayes! You've managed to totally turn this conversation from you and Sam to me and Josh. The least you can do is tell me. Spill."

"Okay. We've all thought, we being me, Sam, CJ, and, well, everyone,"

"Ainsley. Get. On. With. It." Donna was growing very impatient.

"It's really kind of obvious. We all feel the reason why Josh is always obsessed with your personal life and the reason why he's constantly putting down the men you date, let us recall the "local gomer" comment, is because he's in love with you and he's afraid to admit it."

Donna's eyes widened, mostly from an inner happiness that she wasn't the only one who thought this.

Ainsley continued. "Josh chooses to take the low road, so to speak, because he's afraid if he tells you how he feels you won't reciprocate his feelings."

"And Fred?" Donna asked, wondering how he fit into all of this.

"Well, Fred, having studied people and body language, picked up on this immediately. While you were chewing out Josh in the restaurant, he offered his opinions."

"And he said Josh was in love with me."

"Yes. He said he could tell by the way he looked at you, how close he stood, how hurt Josh looked when you yelled at him and how relieved he looked when you stopped."

"He could tell all that?" Donna was amazed.

"It is what he does for a living… He also said it was pretty obvious that..." Ainsley paused.

"That what?!"

"That you were in love with Josh as well."

Donna looked surprised. "Is it that obvious?"

Ainsley smiled and laughed. "Only to Fred, the Observational Psychologist." Donna breathed a sigh of relief. "And half the West Wing."

"Ainsley!!" Donna exclaimed.

~*~*~*~

"Sam," Josh looked slightly nervous. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"Us, probably," Sam replied.

"Yeah, we are "da men," aren't we?"

"Hell, yeah!" Sam moved to high-five Josh, and they totally missed.

"Well, at least the girls didn't see that," Josh shared.

"Yeah. We're still cool."

"Totally," said Josh. "Totally nerds!"

Both Sam and Josh started to laugh.

~*~*~*~

"Everyone knows?" Donna asked. "Why doesn't Josh? Or does he? He's never said anything to me!"

"Donna, Josh doesn't know how you feel. As they say, "love is blind," at least to those in love, because I swear Leo and CJ have already made plans on how to handle the press."

"Ainsley!"

"What?" she smiled slyly.

~*~*~*~

"Donnatella Moss!" Josh bellowed. "It's midnight."

Donna turned to him with a withering glance, "Good, because as a pumpkin, you'll talk a hell of a lot less."

"Hey!" Josh responded, with an air of mock injury.

Donna turned back to Ainsley, giving her a look of nervous joy.

"Tell him," Ainsley whispered, as she hugged Donna good bye.

Donna nodded to Ainsley, said a quick goodbye to Sam, and headed off with Josh. After walking a few feet, Josh reached over and took her hand, smiling at her.

"Do you hate me?" he asked, still smiling.

"Far from it," Donna replied, lacing her fingers through Josh's.