Chapter 17

Friday, july 2

1300

West Wing Lobby

Whitehouse

Mac sat in the lobby waiting for Leo McGarry. She felt a little self conscious about her wig but she tried to ignore the feeling. Instead she tried to focus on the fact that not only was she going to be working at the Whitehouse but that she and Harm could now be together out in the open. A fact they had taken full advantage of the night before. She had just started reliving the romantic dinner for two when a slightly familiar man approached her.

"Colonel MacKenzie?" the man asked. She nods her head and he continues, "I'm Josh Lyman deputy chief of staff. Leo got pulled into a last minute meeting so he asked me to show you around."

"I appreciate it Mr. Lyman," Mac said shaking the man's hand.

"Call me Josh," Mr. Lyman said.

"Mac," Mac said.

"Mac?" Josh questioned.

"It's short for MacKenzie," Mac explained, "the boys gave it to me in Japan and it stuck."

"Ok, Mac," Josh said, "Your office is downstairs but you'll probably be spending quite a bit of time up here. I'll introduce you to senior staff and then I'll take you downstairs. Hopefully the president will have 5 minutes for you at some point."

"The president?" Mac asked a little nervous.

"You're going to be advising him on matters of international law," Josh said, "you'd better get used to the idea of talking to him on a regular basis."

Mac nodded, 'suck it up marine,' she thought to herself.

She followed Josh through a set of doors into the west wing of the Whitehouse.

"This is the communications bullpen," Josh said, "This is Ginger and Kathy. Here's Toby Ziegler's office, he's Whitehouse communication director. I think he's on the hill at the moment. And this is his deputy Will Bailey's office."

Josh knocked lightly on the door frame.

"Hey Josh," Will said looking up from his computer.

"Will, this is Colonel MacKenzie. She's replacing Captain Krennick as international and maritime law advisor." Josh said.

"Nice to meet you Colonel," Will said standing up to shake her hand.

"Call me Mac," Mac said taking the offered hand.

Josh continued to take Mac around and introduce her to the senior staff. After a stop by the president's aide's, Charlie, desk to see when the president had a free 5 minutes Josh took Mac down to see her office. It wasn't as big as her office at JAG but it was a fair size.

"You can move your stuff in here when ever you like," Josh said, "are you coming to the 4th of July picnic?"

"I don't know," Mac said, "I was planning on spending it with my boyfriend and his daughter, well she'll be his daughter once the adoption papers come through."

"They can come," Josh said, "it's a family thing. Anyways you could bring your stuff in then. Leo said you were starting your second round of chemo on Monday."

"Ya," Mac replied, "do you mind if I make a phone call?"

"Go ahead," Josh said, "it's your office. Dial 9 for an outside line."

Mac picked up the phone and dialed the number for the switch board at Leavenworth prison.

"Cell block D common room please," she asked the operator.

"One moment ma'am," the woman said as she transferred the call.

"Cell block D, sergeant Peters speaking," said a gruff voice.

"Bill it's Colonel MacKenzie. Is my uncle around?" Mac asked well aware of the questioning glances she was getting from Josh.

"Hi Colonel," Bill said, "he just finished a game of crib with Stumpy. Hang on a sec I'll get him."

"Thanks Bill," Mac said.

"Sarah?" Matt's voice said a minute and 32 seconds later, "is something wrong."

"No uncle Matt something's actually very right," Mac said with is smile, "guess where I'm calling you from?"

"Where?" uncle matt asked playing along.

"My office...in the Whitehouse." Mac said a little excitement showing in her voice.

"The Whitehouse?" Matt said, "when did this happen Mac?"

"Yesterday," Mac said, "you've been following the Krennick case right?"

"Yes," Matt said.

"Well the verdict was handed down yesterday," Mac said, "she was found guilty. They offered me her job. I'm the new international and maritime law advisor to the Whitehouse."

"Congratulations Sarah," Matt said, "I'm proud of you. I take it you went and celebrated last night."

"Yep and we had more than one thing to celebrate," Mac said, "the new job puts Harm and I in separate chains of command."

"Sarah that's wonderful," Matt said, "Have you told Chloe yet? I'm sure she'll be thrilled."

"Not yet," Mac said, "I thought I'd wait until she got here on Tuesday. I have to go Uncle Matt, I'm supposed to meet the president in 6 minutes and 47 seconds."

"Ok, Sarah," Matt said, "give Chloe a hug for me. And I'm still waiting for pictures of that house. Love you."

"Love you too Uncle Matt," Mac said with a smile, "the picture are in the mail. And watch your back in there, Harm sent another one your way last week. Name's lieutenant Greg Michaels. You might want to find out what cell block he's in. He was not a happy camper."

"I will Mac," Matt said, "thanks for the warning."

"Bye Uncle Matt," Mac said.

"Bye Sarah," Matt said.

"You have an uncle in prison?" Josh asked as they headed back up to the president's office.

"Leavenworth," Mac said shortly.

"Oh," Josh said making a mental note to read her file more thoroughly later. The rest of the walk was made in an uncomfortable silence. They arrive in the outer office of the president.

"You can go in," Charlie said, "he's ready for you."

Josh held the door open for her and she stepped through into the oval office. There were three men in the office, Leo McGarry, the president and a distinguished and very well decorated admiral. Mac immediately snapped to attention.

"At ease Colonel," the admiral said, "I'm Admiral Fitzwallace chairmen of the joint chiefs. You're under my chain of command."

"Yes sir," Mac said.

"Colonel MacKenzie I'm president Bartlet, welcome to the Whitehouse."

"Thank you sir," Mac said, still not at ease with the situation.

"We were all quite impressed with your defense of the Secretary of the Navy this past winter," the president said.

"With all due respect sir I can't take all the credit for that," Mac said, "it was a team effort between myself, commander Rabb and Lieutenant Commander Roberts."

"Of course," Bartlet said, "I'm looking forward to meeting Rabb. I assume you're bringing him to the picnic on Sunday?"

"Sir?" Mac questioned. She wondered how the president knew about her relationship with Harm.

"He is your best friend is he not?" Bartlet asked.

"Sir I find it somewhat disturbing the amount of knowledge you have about my private life," Mac said.

"I'll admit I find it a bit disturbing as well," Bartlet said with a smile, "but we had to make sure you were scandal free so we needed to know as much about you as possible."

"Sir if you wanted someone with a clean past perhaps I wasn't the best choice," Mac was starting to feel a little self conscious.

"Colonel we wouldn't have offered you the job if we thought your past was a problem," Leo McGarry said. "You and Rabb both have colourful pasts but that doesn't make you any less qualified for the job. Speaking of Rabb are you certain it's ok with your former CO for us to call Rabb in an emergency?"

"Yes Admiral Williams fully supports it," Mac said, "she informed the judges yesterday that the Commander may get called away suddenly at any time over the next few months. Until I'm back full time. Until then I'll be in as much as I can."

"We appreciate that Colonel," Admiral Fitzwallace said, "now if you'll excuse me I have a briefing."

"Yes sir," Mac said, "of course sir." She snapped to attention and saluted. The admiral returned the salute before exiting the office.

"And I'm afraid Leo and I have a meeting with the ambassador to Greenland," the president said, "it was good meeting you and I'll see you on Sunday at the picnic."

"Yes sir," Mac said.

"Josh can you show the Colonel out?" Leo asked.

Josh nodded and held the door open for Mac.

"So we'll see you on Sunday?" Josh asked as he walked her out.

Mac nodded, "yes," she said simply.

"Leave your guests' names with the guard at the security desk," Josh said, "it'll will help them get in more easily."

"Thanks Josh," Mac said shaking his hand.

"My pleasure," Josh answered.

Mac left Harm and Mattie's names at the desk for Sunday and then headed for her real estate agent's office.

Harm arrived home that night to find Mac and Mattie in the dining room with the entire table covered in paint chips, wall paper samples, carpet samples, fabric swatches and furniture catalogues.

"What are you two doing?" Harm asked.

"Trying to figure out how to decorate the house," Mattie said, "I figure as soon as I figure out the furniture and fabrics I want in my room the sooner we can get started. That way when we move in some of it will already be done."

"I see," Harm said, "and by we do you mean me and Mac or are you actually going to help."

"I'll help," Mattie said, "it's not like a have a lot of other stuff to do. Volleyball camp isn't until the last week in August and JNROTC camp is the first two weeks of August. So I've got a whole month to work on the stuff for the house."

"Whoa, rewind," Harm said, "JNROTC camp?"

"Ya," Mattie said, "I thought I'd join the corps at school this year and they have an orientation camp that all the new people have to go to."

"And when were you planning on telling me this?" Harm asked.

"I don't know," Mattie said, "eventually. You're going to let me go right?"

"Yes, you can go," Harm said, "but I don't like that you didn't tell me. Now what's the plan for your room?"

Mattie explained the plan for her room. Of course it turned out that Harm was expected to build her bed and window seats for the dormer windows.

"How'd it go at the Whitehouse?" Harm asked Mac when Mattie was done explaining.

"good," Mac said, "Josh showed me my office and introduced me to the president and my new CO Admiral Fitzwallace. We've been invited to the Whitehouse Independence Day picnic on Sunday."

"Cool," Mattie said, "so I get to meet the president and stuff? Wait 'til I tell Andre and Susan. I'm going to call them right now." Mattie rushed up to the room she was using to call her best friends.

"So our first public function as a couple, huh?" Harm said slipping his arms around Mac from behind.

"Mmhm," Mac nodded, "the first of many." She turned around in his arms and kissed him. "Now go get started on supper, I'm hungry."

Harm chuckled at his marine and headed to change his clothes before starting supper.

TBC