EPILOGUE
2023
Still holding Ainsley's hand, Sam waited for the applause to die down so he wouldn't have to speak too loudly. They were all demanding a speech, and he smiled. "Okay, I'll just have to improvise, since Toby didn't write me anything."
"That's the spirit," Colleen laughed.
"If you'd let me say it..."
"You're going to make this long, aren't you?" Ainsley teased.
"Did you ask me to talk just so you could interrupt me?" he asked.
The chorus of "Yes, sir" made him smile.
Looking at them all, Ainsley, still beautiful after all the hardships; CJ, smiling and fingering her necklace; Toby, standing, shoulders hunched, hands in his pockets; Colleen, thoughtful and reserved; Jim and Peter, looking like two kids about to make a prank, he tried to find an appropriate way to thank them all.
For the help, the advice, the sleepless nights, the friendship and the love.
For staying at his side when he screwed up.
For forcing him to do his best, always his best.
CJ caught his glance above the crowd.
"We still have tonight," she mouthed, only now she was smiling.
He nodded and began to speak to the rest of them, trying to find the right words to express his love.
Hoping he conveyed it.
**********
15 hours later, Manchester
"Sam, it's just a friendly chess game."
"It's not. You're going to turn it into a competition, it's gonna get ugly - "
"Why should it?" Toby smirked. "I'm gonna kick your ass anyway."
"No, you're not. I don't even like chess, Toby."
"I do. Stop whining, and sit down."
Ainsley rolled her eyes, CJ clapped on Toby's shoulder, telling him to leave Sam alone already, and Jim took two pieces off the board, hiding them behind his back.
"Right or left?" he asked, looking at Sam uncertainly. Everyone knew that if Sam decided to say no, it would be to Jim - the only one of them he could still bully, the only one of them who was still more frightened of Sam than he was of Toby - and for how long, they all wondered.
They were in Manchester, where Abbey had welcomed them with open arms, as usual. In his room, Sam had found a chess board, with a note from Jed Bartlet, explaining that it was a belated gift for all the years of service, for the words he had given him, and for having been one of his better angels.
Abbey had explained that he had meant to give it to him years ago, but had never found quite the right moment. He had prepared the note before his health had begun to deteriorate, and had asked Abbey to give it to him when he was out of office. "He'll have time, then," he had added.
Sam didn't really like chess. On the other hand, this board was a link to his former boss, to a man he had both loved and loathed, often at the same time, and who had at the very least taught him to listen to his dreams, and to his advisors.
"Right hand," he said finally.
"You're white," Jim announced, putting the pieces back on the board.
"They're gonna be a while," Ainsley said to CJ and Abbey. "How about we do some gossiping in the kitchen?"
"Sure. I heard Donna finally accepted Bill's proposal?"
"In the kitchen," Toby said, shooting them a dark glare.
"What, we're bothering you?"
"Yes. I wanna play."
Sam smiled agreeably, sat in front of the board and said in his more challenging tone, "Well, let's start then."
THE END
Thanks for reading, and thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed!
Don't hesitate to let me know what you think at lazy.gege@ibelgique.com
2023
Still holding Ainsley's hand, Sam waited for the applause to die down so he wouldn't have to speak too loudly. They were all demanding a speech, and he smiled. "Okay, I'll just have to improvise, since Toby didn't write me anything."
"That's the spirit," Colleen laughed.
"If you'd let me say it..."
"You're going to make this long, aren't you?" Ainsley teased.
"Did you ask me to talk just so you could interrupt me?" he asked.
The chorus of "Yes, sir" made him smile.
Looking at them all, Ainsley, still beautiful after all the hardships; CJ, smiling and fingering her necklace; Toby, standing, shoulders hunched, hands in his pockets; Colleen, thoughtful and reserved; Jim and Peter, looking like two kids about to make a prank, he tried to find an appropriate way to thank them all.
For the help, the advice, the sleepless nights, the friendship and the love.
For staying at his side when he screwed up.
For forcing him to do his best, always his best.
CJ caught his glance above the crowd.
"We still have tonight," she mouthed, only now she was smiling.
He nodded and began to speak to the rest of them, trying to find the right words to express his love.
Hoping he conveyed it.
**********
15 hours later, Manchester
"Sam, it's just a friendly chess game."
"It's not. You're going to turn it into a competition, it's gonna get ugly - "
"Why should it?" Toby smirked. "I'm gonna kick your ass anyway."
"No, you're not. I don't even like chess, Toby."
"I do. Stop whining, and sit down."
Ainsley rolled her eyes, CJ clapped on Toby's shoulder, telling him to leave Sam alone already, and Jim took two pieces off the board, hiding them behind his back.
"Right or left?" he asked, looking at Sam uncertainly. Everyone knew that if Sam decided to say no, it would be to Jim - the only one of them he could still bully, the only one of them who was still more frightened of Sam than he was of Toby - and for how long, they all wondered.
They were in Manchester, where Abbey had welcomed them with open arms, as usual. In his room, Sam had found a chess board, with a note from Jed Bartlet, explaining that it was a belated gift for all the years of service, for the words he had given him, and for having been one of his better angels.
Abbey had explained that he had meant to give it to him years ago, but had never found quite the right moment. He had prepared the note before his health had begun to deteriorate, and had asked Abbey to give it to him when he was out of office. "He'll have time, then," he had added.
Sam didn't really like chess. On the other hand, this board was a link to his former boss, to a man he had both loved and loathed, often at the same time, and who had at the very least taught him to listen to his dreams, and to his advisors.
"Right hand," he said finally.
"You're white," Jim announced, putting the pieces back on the board.
"They're gonna be a while," Ainsley said to CJ and Abbey. "How about we do some gossiping in the kitchen?"
"Sure. I heard Donna finally accepted Bill's proposal?"
"In the kitchen," Toby said, shooting them a dark glare.
"What, we're bothering you?"
"Yes. I wanna play."
Sam smiled agreeably, sat in front of the board and said in his more challenging tone, "Well, let's start then."
THE END
Thanks for reading, and thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed!
Don't hesitate to let me know what you think at lazy.gege@ibelgique.com