Title: Friendships
Author: Willow
Summary: Sam and Zoey visit Washington.
Spoilers/Episode: Set in an a/u that starts after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place four weeks after Chapter 3.
Characters: Ensemble, Sam and Zoey.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: JWP, NBC and others own these characters, I'm just borrowing them.

Part V

Saturday

"Donna's looking well," Sam commented as he and Josh ate breakfast the following morning.

"She looks tired," Josh replied.

"She's only been back at work a few weeks and her leg'll be keeping her awake, give her time," Sam told him. "I remember in college, I fell off a roof and broke my leg. It ached and itched so much, kept me awake for weeks."

"How did you fall off a roof?" Josh asked with a smile.

"I'd got locked out and was climbing back up to my room, which was over a veranda. But it had been raining and the roof tiles were slippery, I lost my footing and fell. It really hurt."

"I'd think," Josh grinned at the mental image he had of Sam shinning up a drainpipe.

"So you still haven't told her?" Sam asked.

"Told who what?"

"Told Donna how you feel."

While he was in Germany, Josh had phoned Sam to let him know what was happening. Donna was in the recovery room and Josh was upset and confused and had let his defenses down. It wasn't intentional, in fact he'd didn't even realize what he'd said until Sam had agreed that he'd known for years. It was however, the first time he'd admitted to anyone how deep his feelings for Donna ran. Of course, that didn't mean he was about to tell Donna. "No," he said.

"Because?" Sam asked.

"The same reason I've never told her, nothing's changed."

"Doesn't she wonder at you flying out to Germany to see her?"

"She's my friend. She'd do the same for me."

"Which should tell you something," Sam said.

"I'd do the same for you as well; but trust me, even with your new hair cut, it would mean nothing more than we're friends," Josh smiled.

"You need a good woman in your life."

"I have one."

"I don't mean as a friend. Waking up everyday next to someone you really care about, knowing that she'll always be there for you and you for her. There's nothing like it."

Josh laughed. "You've got it bad."

"Yes," Sam replied with an embarrassed smile.

"So why don't you ask her to marry you?" Josh wondered.

"I might. I'll make you a deal. You tell Donna and I'll propose to Chloe."

"No," Josh replied. "I'm quite happy with things as they are."

"You really aren't," Sam told him.

Josh strived for a change in subject. "Who's your interview with on Monday?" he asked.

Sam grinned, because he knew Josh was going to approve of this. "I only heard I'd got an interview last week. I'd tried their New York office, but they didn't have anything for me. Then a vacancy came up for a litigator in Hartford."

"Who with?" Josh asked, although he had a good idea.

"Debavoise and Plimpton," Sam smiled. "Don't you think it's odd that the partners are now Bryce, Rhodes and Garcia?"

"They've never change the name." Josh grinned, "Call me biased, but I hope that's the one you get."

"You think your dad would have hired me?"

"Well to be fair he knew you quite well, so probably not," Josh smiled. "Leo'll be pleased."

...........................................................................

White House

Sam and Josh arrived at the White House at 10, their first port of call was Leo's office.

"Debavoise and Plimpton," Leo grinned, "they're a good firm, I hope that's the one you get."

"Me too actually," Sam agreed. He'd expected Leo to look, well tired and drawn maybe in view of the tensions between him the president, but he looked fine. As far as Sam could see, he was the same old Leo and that came as something of a relief.

"You okay?" Leo asked him.

"Yeah, sorry. It's just strange to be back here. In a way it's like I never left, but it feels different somehow."

"Different good or different bad?" Josh had to ask.

"Good, more relaxed." Sam grinned, "That might actually be me rather than the building."

"He's in love," Josh teased.

"When are we going to meet her?" Leo asked.

"The first weekend we have off work, I'll bring her to Washington, I promise."

"Good," Leo smiled. "For now though, you're keeping the president waiting."

"Yeah," Sam suddenly looked worried. "Okay, here I go."

As Sam knocked on the adjoining door and entered the Oval Office, Josh grinned at Leo and shook his head. "He actually looks scared."

Leo gave him a knowing look. "What have you been telling him?"

Part 6............