Part 3

See disclaimers in Part 1.

The rest of Monday morning just drags by for Leo. He attends a couple of low-level meetings but doesn't actively participate in any of them. He doesn't have very much to do for most of the day. He tries to do some reading and then answers some email. Sarah is keeping herself busy with the long list of chores that Margaret left for her to work on all this week.

Leo leaves the White House around two o'clock for his doctor's appointment. The first thing he has done when he gets there is to go and have his hip and knee x-rayed. After that he has the physical examination, which is very painfull, from where and how the doctor has to manipulate his leg and hip. The diagnosis he receives from the doctor is exactly what he's already suspected. Doctor Franklin tells him the same thing as he did in previous examinations, but this time the doctor is very adamant about what Leo needs to have done and that it needs to be done soon. Really soon.

Leo leaves the doctor's office with a very noticeable limp. He's already taken a dose of the Naproxen that the doctor gave him for the pain and inflammation from the examination. He hates taking the Naproxen on an empty stomach, but he's got too much pain from his hip right now to worry about how it's going to bother his stomach later. He just hopes it kicks in before he reaches the White House.

Margaret walks out of the Nashville Mills Mall, her arms full of shopping bags and plops down on the first available bench she finds at the pickup/drop-off area. She arranges her purchases, so they aren't in anyone else's way and then looks at her watch. It's only about fifteen more minutes until the next scheduled shuttle from the hotel.

Margaret decides to call Leo and tell him about all her great deals that she got today. She digs her cell phone out of her purse, only to find the battery dead. "Damnit," she mutters, having forgotten to charge it last night. She'll just have to wait until she gets back to the hotel until she can call him.

Margaret leans back on the bench, closes her eyes and soaks up some of the warm southern sun. It's a gorgeous day in the Volunteer state. She had a fun time shopping and she's looking forward to tonight. She's going out with Lynette and some others to the Wildhorse Saloon. She's always wanted to go there. She loves to watch the country music specials that are taped there.

The saloon is also a great place to see new rising singers and if they're lucky they may get to see a well-known country singer or two, because they've been known to stop by and perform without any advanced notice. She smiles at the prospect of possibly getting to meet her favorite singer, George Strait. But, since she's an avid fan of his, she knows that's not going to happen, because he's on tour out west right now.

Margaret is enjoying her little daydream when all of a sudden she gets a small pang of guilt. She's neglected to tell Leo about her plans for tonight. Not that she needs to or that he would really care, she guesses, and it's not like they have a relationship other than boss and assistant, but she doesn't feel right about telling him she's going to a bar. Well, it's more than just a bar, but still, she doesn't want him to know about her going to it.

Margaret is busy daydreaming about what 'could be' for her and Leo if only he cared for her, when shuttle arrives. She gathers up her bags and climbs on board. Soon she's back in the comfort of her luxurious suite. She plugs in her cell phone, even though she knows there's not enough time for it to get fully charged. Then she locates her calling card inside her wallet and calls Leo.

"Mr. McGarry's office," Sarah cheerfully says, after picking up the phone.

"Hi, Sarah. It's Margaret," she says.

"Hi Margaret, how's the weather out there?"

"It's wonderful. How are you doing there?"

"So far, so good," she replies.

"Is Leo in?" She asks.

"No, he had an appointment late this afternoon and said he wouldn't be back to the White House until around four or so," she informs Margaret.

"An appointment," she says with a raised eyebrow. "I don't remember him having an appointment outside of the White House," she continues, as she's racks her brain. She's almost positive he didn't.

"It wasn't on his schedule that you left for me, either," she grimaces as soon as she lets that slip, wishing she hadn't divulged that piece of information. She's heard about Margaret's insistence about him not making his own appointments.

"That man, he knows he's not supposed to make his own appointments," she grumbles. "He knows the rules. Well, at least he should, cause I've printed them out enough for him."

"Margaret, I really wish I hadn't said anything. I didn't mean to get you upset or Mr. McGarry in trouble with you. Please don't say anything to him," she begs.

Margaret takes a couple seconds to gather herself, "Okay, I won't. He's just lucky that I'm not there or there'd be hell to pay."

"Thanks, besides..." Sarah breathes a sigh of relief, as she looks around to see if anyone is close by. "He's not like what I expected at all. He's been very nice. I don't understand why people in the pool don't want to temp for Mr. McGarry."

"Well... he can have his moments," she pauses, thinking about him for a couple of seconds, "but I love working for him. Oh, there is one thing that I forgot to tell you, he prefers to be called Leo."

"Yeah, he keeps reminding me, but it seems strange to refer to him like that. It's like... like sorta calling the President by his first name."

"Well, I guess it does seem like that, but I've worked for Leo since his second year as Labor Secretary."

"How long have you worked for him?" She asks, after hearing Margaret's voice go soft when she talks about Mr. McGarry.

"Well... it was fourteen years this past spring."

"Wow, that's a long time to be someone's assistant. I'm hoping that someday I can move up the ladder... ah... not that I'm saying... that umm... you..." Sarah didn't mean for it to come out that way.

"Sarah, it's okay. Trust me, I've had several job offers and opportunities over the years that I've worked for Leo," she enlightens her young protégée.

"But you always stayed?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment," she laughs, as she notices that it's getting close to the time that she needs to start getting ready for her night out. "I chose to stay and well... I think it turned out pretty good. I work twenty feet from the Oval office, and I enjoy helping Leo. He's accomplished a lot at the Labor Department and at the White House and well... I'd like to think that I helped him get to where he is today."

"I'm sure you did."

"Sarah, I'm sorry, but I need to start getting ready for a night out with some friends. Don't bother telling Leo I called."

"Okay," she happily agrees, knowing that Leo would realize that Margaret knows that he had made his own appointment. "Bye."

"Bye," she says, as she lies back on the bed and thinks about the first time she walked into Leo McGarry's office at the Labor Department.

Flashback to Spring 1990

A twenty-six old Margaret McGuire enters the Labor building for a job interview as an assistant. She's recently out of college with huge college loans to pay off. It has taken her six years to work her way though college, because she couldn't afford to go full time. She hastily quit her part time job after she got her degree because she felt confident that she would find a better job soon thereafter.

But after three months of searching and coming up empty handed, she's getting a little desperate. What modest bit of savings she has is going to run out soon, so she decided to interview for the job. She really didn't want to be someone's assistant, but her friend Lynette who had dropped out of college the previous year, due to financial hardship, is working at the Labor Department and told her about a job opening there.

Margaret signs in at the front desk and is given directions. She heads towards the bank of elevators. She rides one up to the appropriate floor and finds the room number she was given. She's very surprised to find herself at the office of Leo McGarry, the Labor Secretary. Surely, someone a lot more qualified would be dying to have such a high profile job with a Cabinet member.

She hesitantly enters the outer office and finds it empty. She stands there for a minute or so wondering what to do. She eventually gets up the courage and goes over the closed door and knocks on it.

"Yeah, come in," the gruff voice on the other side of the doors says.

Margaret slowly opens the door and sticks her head in, "Excuse me, but I'm here for a job interview as an assistant."

"Okay, but you're gonna have to come all the way into the room for that," he points out in a huff, barely even looking up at her.

Margaret walks into the room, closes the door and stands in the middle of the office, staring at the man behind the desk who isn't paying her any attention. "Mr. McGarry, I can come back if you're too busy right now," she blurts out.

"It's Leo and it's always this busy around here," he says, motioning around the office with his hand. "So, if ya don't think you can handle it, then there's no need for you to interview for the job," he bluntly states.

"No, I just meant if you didn't have the time, I could come back," she explains.

"Sit," he says, pointing to the chair in front of his very cluttered and unorganized desk.

Margaret walks over to the chair, sits down, opens up her briefcase, rummages though it for her resume, "Here's my resume," she says, handing him the paper.

Leo gives it a cursory glance, before he tosses it on his desk. "So, have ya ever worked as a secretary before?"

"Yes, I did for a couple of years after high school," she informs him.

"Any college?"

"Yes, I have a business degree from..."

Leo cut her off, "Have ya worked for the government before?"

"No," she replies, wondering why he didn't read and pay better attention to her resume.

"Can you take dictation?"

"Yes," she answers.

"How many words per minute can you type?"

"240," she smoothly says.

Leo raises an eyebrow, "240?" He shakes his head in disbelief.

"Yes," she huffs. She notices a typewriter over in the corner of his office. She gets up and walks over to it. She inserts a piece of paper into it that was lying in a pile next to it. She walks back over to his desk, grabs a book of law off of it and walks back over to the typewriter. She sits down and opens the book. "I'm ready anytime you are," she says to Leo.

"Ready for what?" He says with a very puzzled look on his face. He's been watching her these past few seconds and has no idea what to make of her.

"I want you to tell me when to start, and then time me for a minute and tell me when to stop," she informs him.

Leo looks at his watch, waits for the seconds to zero out, "Okay, start."

Leo is amazed at how fast her fingers fly over the keys of the typewriter. 'There's no way she could be actually typing anything other than gibberish,' he thinks to himself. He returns his eyes to his watch. "Okay, stop," he says.

Margaret yanks the paper from the typewriter, walks over and tosses it at Leo, "Here. Two Hundred and forty words and no mistakes. I used to type people's papers in college to help pay my rent, the faster I typed the more money I made," she informed him. "And if you'd given my resume more than just a passing glance, you wouldn't have to ask me all these questions. Which is a waste of both your time and mine," she says as she stands ready to leave his office. "Now I see why no one else here wants this job," she mutters to herself as she turns to leave.

"What are you doing?" He asks as he stands, surprised at her boldness.

"Leaving," she says.

"Don't ya want the job?" He asks, he can't remember the last person who stood up to him. He likes that she won't be used or walked on.

"Yes, I need the job desperately," she admits.

"Okay, then. Can you start right away?" He gives her a lopsided grin.

Margaret stares at him with a puzzled look on her face. This is by far the strangest job interview she's ever had. She finally bobs her head, "Yes, Sir. I can. Do you want me to start now? Today?" She says, captivated by his lopsided grin.

"Good, but no, you need to go to Human Resources today if you can and fill out all the paperwork, and get your photo ID. Do you have a passport? You will need one for this job, because I may need you to go with me on business trips, out of the country, from time to time. Be here tomorrow morning at seven," he says, as he moves back behind his desk.

"Okay," she turns and heads for the door.

"Oh, by the way. What's your name?" He asks.

"Margaret," she tells him, as she opens the door to leave.

"Okay Margaret, I'll see ya tomorrow," he says, sitting down and getting right back to work.

"Yes sir," she tells him, leaving his office.

"Margaret," Leo bellows, from his office.

Margaret quickly pops her head back inside the office, "Yes Sir."

"Please call me Leo," he informs her again.

"Okay, sir, I mean Leo," she returns, as she backs out of his office again.

End of flashback

Margaret sighs at the memory and then looks at her watch. She needs to hurry if she's going to meet Lynette downstairs in fifteen minutes. She quickly gets ready, grabs her cell phone and purse and then rushes out the door.

Leo arrives back at the White House shortly after five o'clock. When he gets out of his car, he's relieved to discover that he's able to cover his limp and that the pain is almost gone. He slowly and carefully walks to his office. He returns a couple of phone calls, and then checks his email.

By five thirty, Leo tells Sarah to go on home and he heads for his hotel. He spends the ride home, wondering what Margaret bought for herself today. He's a little surprised that she hasn't called yet and told him about all her purchases. Maybe he read her wrong earlier today; maybe she's not interested in him.

Leo tries to push those doubts out of his head. Maybe he'll go for a walk tonight. His hip doesn't seem to be bothering him at all right now. He used to love to walk the mall area when he was Labor Secretary. He sits back and stares out the window, watching the sights of DC and daydreaming about Margaret.

Leo decides that he will take that walk after a light dinner; he really wasn't very hungry. He leaves his hotel and heads towards the Mall area. While he's walking, he can't get Margaret out of his head and then his hip starts acting up again. So when he reaches Washington Square, he decides to sit down and call Margaret. It's a little before eight, and he's worried that she hasn't called him yet. He flips open his phone and presses in her number.

"Hello," Margaret yells into the phone.

"Hey Margaret. Where are you?" He hears lots of music and loud talking in the background.

"Um... I'm at the Wildhorse Saloon," she replies in a guilty voice, as she drops her head.

"It sounds like you're having a good time," he replies, trying to ease her mind.

"Yeah, it's a really neat place... but I've only had a couple of drinks. We umm... came early for happy hour," she quickly confesses, almost like a young kid getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Margaret, it's okay, you don't have to justify yourself to me, have a good time, that's part of the reason why you're there." He shakes his head at her feeling guilty over just having a couple of drinks with friends.

"Okay, well I wasn't planning on staying long. We're just going to eat, watch the show and then leave," she sheepishly explains.

"Margaret, I'm going to get off of here. You stay and have fun, and I'll talk with ya tomorrow." He doesn't want to put a damper of her fun.

"Leo, are you still at work?"

"No, I left... around five thirty tonight, there wasn't much going on so..."

"Oh, so you're at home," she feels guilty that she's out having a good time and he's home alone in his hotel room.

"Actually, I'm out taking a walk," he informs her.

"Okay," Margaret gets a worried look on her face. Leo used to take lots of walks when he first got back from rehab. He said it helped him fight the cravings for alcohol. He used to drag her all over the Mall. She hopes this isn't the reason for his walk tonight.

"And, before your overactive imagination kicks into high gear, no I'm not walking to avoid drinking. I just felt like a walk, okay?" He knows Margaret far too well. He knows how her mind can quickly jump to conclusions. Even if he has felt the temptation to drink lately, he's not about to tell her that.

"Okay," she breathes out. "Leo I trust you," she adds, wanting him to know that she does. "Can I call you when I get back to the hotel?"

"Margaret, you don't have to check up on me again tonight, I'm fine. I'm gonna finish my walk, and then I might get in the hot tub at the hotel." That is if he can find his swim trunks. It's been a long time since he's been in the hot tub, but he knows it will help his hip to feel better.

"Leo, is your back bothering you?"

"Margaret, will you stop worrying."

"I can't. It's part of my job description," she sarcastically enlightens him.

"Well, I don't think so, and I dare ya to find that in your job description and show me when you get back," he smirks.

"Well, since I always type mine own. You'll never know what's in there," she softly laughs.

"True, you could always try to pull a fast one on me. But remember, I do have to sign it?"

"Well, I have your signature down pretty good," she implies.

"Margaret," he growls.

"I could sign it, but I won't. I promise," she says as she crosses her heart.

"Okay, well... you go eat and have some fun. I guess I'll probably talk to you tomorrow," he hopes.

Margaret thinks that Leo's last remark sounded more like a question than a statement. "If not sooner," she informs him.

"You could call me when you get back to the hotel tonight, so I know you got back okay. You're not the only one who worries," Leo's voice drops an octave when he tells her that.

"I'll call, but only if it's not too late."

"Okay, have fun. Bye."

"Bye," she smiles as she flips her cell phone shut and goes back to the table and joins her friends.

"Was that your boyfriend calling and checking up on you?" One of the women at the table smirks.

"No that was my boss," she blushes.

"Sounds like he's more than that," another one joins in the teasing.

"I wish," she mutters.

"What was that you said?" Her best friend Lynette asks.

"I said, oh never mind. I believe it was my turn to buy the next round," she waves for the barmaid to come to their table.

"I think someone's trying to get us off the subject," Lynette suggests.

"Yeah she is, but as long as she's buying, who cares," another woman laughs. Soon, the whole table is laughing and chatting about other things, much to Margaret's relief.

Lynette walks back with Margaret though the hotel lobby. They're laughing and talking about the good time they had tonight. They get in the elevator, and Margaret inserts her card key.

"Hey, how did you manage to get on the expensive floor? Was there a mistake and they had to put you up there?" She asks, with a puzzled look on her face.

"Ah... no my room was reserved for that floor," she replies, lowering her eyes.

"How did you manage that?" Lynette asks, following her off the elevator. "We made our reservations at the same time."

"Well, it's a long story. Can't we just leave it at that?" Margaret pleads, as she heads for her room.

"I don't think so," Lynette says, as they stop outside the Presidential Suite. Margaret opens the door and Lynette walks into the room.

"Margaret, oh my God! How are you paying for this room? There's no way this is inside the Per Diem rate."

"I'm not," she shyly replies.

"Well, who is then?"

"Well... umm... Leo is," she blushes, as her hands fidget.

"Leo!" Lynette practically yells.

"He did it behind my back. He called and upgraded my room as a surprise," she rushes to explain.

"Wow, this room is something else," she says, wandering around. "You are so lucky to have him for a boss. Are you sure there's nothing going on between the two of you?" She teases.

"Lynette, for the last time. There is nothing going on between Leo and me," she huffs, as she crosses her arms and stares at her friend. She's not about to admit to her that she's in love with her boss.

"Okay, take it easy. I was just teasing," she offered. "So which bedroom is yours?" She asks staring at the multitude of doors.

"This one," Margaret says as she leads her friend into her bedroom. She gives Lynette as full tour of the hotel suite and then ushers her to the door. She still wants to call Leo before she goes to bed.

"Lynette, I really need to get to bed. So, I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast," Margaret opens the door.

"Okay, I can take I hint," she smiles with a wink. "I bet you just need to call your boss," Lynette holds up her hands and makes quotations marks with her fingers when she says your boss. "See you at breakfast," she calls over her shoulder as she disappears down the hall.

Margaret looks at her watch and discovers it's a little after ten o'clock. She quickly goes to the bathroom, changes into her pajamas, and then calls Leo.

"McGarry," he answers, after only one ring.

"Hey Leo," she says, as she sits down on the edge of her king-sized bed.

"Ya have a good time?"

"Yeah, there were a couple of new young singers there tonight and they were very good," she says into the phone as she plays with the edge of the bedspread.

"I'm glad you had a good time. How did the shopping go today?"

"Oh," getting a little excited as she remembers her adventure. "I got some great deals. I saved you a lot of money."

Leo laughs, "I bet you did."

"They were having a ton of sales down here. I bought a lot of stuff, but I'll tell you right now, that I didn't put it all on your card."

"Margaret, I thought..."

"And I did, I bought myself a really nice present for my birthday, but it was on sale, so I don't want to hear that I didn't spend enough."

"Okay. What did ya get Mallory?"

"Well, she's going to be so excited. One of the things I got her is a pair of Stretchers flip flops that she wanted the other day when we went shopping, but they didn't have her size. They are the cutest things. They're hot pink and at least three inches thick"

"Why doesn't she just get a pair of stilts," he smirks.

"Leo, she just wants to be a little bit taller. She's always saying that I dwarf her," Margaret explains to him.

"I know the feeling," Leo mutters under his breath. Margaret's a good three inches taller than he is, and when she wears high heels, she's even taller. It doesn't bother him at all really; he's used to being shorter than most people. He just hopes that it doesn't matter to her.

"I'm sorry Leo; I didn't understand what you just said."

"Nothing, I was just talking back to the guy on CNN," he fabricates.

"Leo, we've been though this... several times before, they can't hear you, remember?"

"Yeah, so what else did ya buy?"

Margaret goes though her list of things she bought today, and Leo intently listens, while he's lying on his bed. He can't believe how much he's missed the little things like sharing something as mundane as shopping. He catches himself almost falling to sleep listening to her soothing voice. Leo is unable to stifle his yawn.

"Leo," she pauses as she yawns, too. "It's late and we're both tired. We should both get to bed."

"Yeah, I think you're right," he yawns again. "Margaret, l umm... need to... tell ya something. I... just want to thank you for all that you've done for me these past fourteen years."

"You're welcome, but Leo, you don't need to do that, I love... working for you," her face flushes at the use of the word 'love'.

Leo lays his head back on his pillow. He thought there for a second she was going to tell him that she loved him. He inwardly sighs, 'maybe someday.' "Night, Margaret."

"Night, Leo." She lies down and almost immediately falls asleep, thinking about Leo.

Margaret wakes Tuesday morning at the sound of the alarm, rolls over and turns it off. She rolls back over; stretches and her first thoughts of the day are of Leo. She peacefully lies there thinking about the conversations they've shared over the past couple of days. She hopes that it's not just her imagination that things are changing between them.

Margaret is so content with her thoughts and fantasies that she closes her eyes and slips back into a light slumber. The next time she opens her eyes, she realizes that she's overslept. A flash of a dream causes her to pause on the edge of the bed, but she quickly remembers that she's supposed to meet Lynette and some others for breakfast, so she jumps up out of bed and quickly gets ready.

They are already seated by the time Margaret reaches the restaurant. It's a good thing that it's located in the hotel, or she would have never made it in time. "Good morning, sorry I'm late," she says, taking her seat and looking around the table.

"You're fine," Lynette tells hers, handing her a menu. "We just got seated." Lynette says, as she leans over, "Well, did you check in yet this morning?" She whispers into Margaret's ear.

Margaret gives her a pointed look. "No, and lets change the subject."

"Okay," her friend laughs.

Margaret is studying the menu when one of the ladies at the table, that she doesn't know, gets a phone call. She gets up, excuses herself and walks away from the table.

"Who's that?" Margaret asks.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have introduced you."

"Well, if you hadn't been so intent on teasing me you might have remembered," Margaret quips.

"Touché. She's Susan White, one of the co-chairs this year for the event," Lynette explains.

"Oh, I didn't realize I would be breakfasting with someone important," Margaret says, as she straightens her clothes a little. She really hadn't been paying too close attention to how she looked, since she had been running late this morning.

"Margaret, how can you refer to her as important when you work right next door to the President?" Lynette shakes her head at her friend.

Margaret is about to comment, but Susan comes back to the table. "Great, just great," she says mockingly as she takes her seat.

"Susan, is something wrong?" Lynette asks the older lady.

"Yeah, I'll say," she huffs. "We just lost our speaker for Saturday night's Closing Dinner Ceremonies," she says, blowing imagery bangs off her forehead. "Does anyone here know of anyone of stature that we could get on short notice for Saturday night?"

"I know someone who works for a very important person, who used to make his living giving lectures," Lynette says, looking over at Margaret.

"Who?" Most of the table's occupants ask in unison.

"Margaret," Lynette says, pointing at her friend, "works for the Chief of Staff."

"Chief of Staff of what?" Susan asks.

"Lynette," Margaret huffs, sinking lower in her chair. She usually doesn't tell people at these events whom she actually works for. They just know that she works in the White House. She has always downplayed her role there.

"Chief of Staff to the President of the United States," Lynette boasts.

"You mean Leo McGarry?" Susan says in a shocked voice.

"Yes," Lynette answers, avoiding making eye contact with Margaret, whom she assumes is about to kill her.

"Oh, he's so good looking," one of the ladies at the table, mentions.

"Oh, yes," others agree in unison.

"Do you really think he would do it?" Susan asks Margaret.

"I don't know. He's really busy... and well... I don't know if he can get away on such short notice," Margaret blushes. She has to agree with the rest of the ladies sitting at the table; her boss is very handsome.

"Will you ask him? Please." Susan says, leaning closer towards Margaret. "It would mean so much if we could have someone like him here," she adds with a smile.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. But no promises," she tells them.

"Great, then it's settled. I'll call Carol and let her know that we might be able to get Leo McGarry," she says, as she pulls out her cell phone.

"Lynette, what have you done? I just know Leo's going to hate this," she informs her friend.

"Well, maybe you need to sweet talk him into it. After all, he did pay for your Presidential Suite, didn't he?" Lynette smirks.

"Lynette, why don't you say that I little louder, cause I don't think the older couple clear across the room heard you," she huffs.

"What did I say?" She laughs.

"Well, if this goes badly, I'm blaming you," she says. Margaret looks around at the table and discovers that they are all staring at her.

"Well, are you going to call?" Susan asks, holding her hand over the receiver of her cell phone.

Margaret looks at her watch, "He's got Senior Staff right now, I'll call during my first break this morning," she tells them.

"Okay, but please don't forget and get back with me as soon as you know something," she adds, as she writes down her cell phone number for Margaret to return her call, before going back to her conversation on her cell phone.

Margaret shoots Lynette a look, "I won't forget," she replies as she takes the offered piece of paper with Susan's phone number on it.

TBC in Part 4

Feedback is greatly appreciated!