Title: Home Again
Author: Willow
Summary: Sam's welcomed back into the White House, but first there's a chilly problem to solve. Set immediately after chapter 9
Spoilers/Episode: Set in an a/u that leaves the show's timeline after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place immediately after chapter 9 .
Characters: Ensemble, Sam & Chloe (a little J/D, just for fun)
Rating: G
Part II
Tuesday Morning - The White House
"Anything else?" Leo asked the staff. "No? Good. Josh, set up the meeting. CJ, you can tell them about Sam. That's it, go and do some work," he told them and picked up his glasses.
"No, hang on," CJ stopped them from leaving. "Someone has to give me an answer," CJ said, looking at Josh, Leo and Toby.
"Do we look like heating engineers?" Josh asked.
"It's freezing. I've got the press sat in coats, scarves and gloves and they want to know why."
"Because the heating broke?" Leo suggested.
"That's what you want me to tell them?" CJ asked.
"I don't know what else to say, CJ. The heating failed to re-ignite after last night's scheduled maintenance."
"Is that what happened?" Josh asked.
"How the hell would I know?" Leo shrugged.
CJ glared at them. "I'm going with Leo's story."
"Good, now can you all get out of my office," Leo asked as the door to the oval office opened.
"Leo," Jed said, "why's it so cold?"
Leo sighed, "The heating broke."
"It's freezing," Jed replied. "It was like sleeping in an igloo in The Residence."
"Igloos are actually surprisingly..." CJ began and smiled at Toby's scowl.
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"Why's it so cold in here?" Will asked Josh.
"Cutbacks," Josh replied.
"Seriously?"
Josh nodded. "It was part of the budget negotiations; we can only have heating 3 days a week in January and February."
"You're pulling my leg," Will said.
"You think?" Josh asked.
"It's lovely and warm in the OEOB," Will told him and grinned at Josh's glare. "I'll shut up."
"What do you need?"
"What do you think Hoynes chances of getting back into politics are?"
"You mean; what do I think his chances of getting the nomination are?"
"Yeah."
"It'd be an impossible sell," Josh replied. "Maybe next time, but this time's too soon."
"So I shouldn't be worried?"
"About Hoynes, no," Josh replied.
"But?"
"You do know I don't actually work for you?" Josh asked.
"You know Washington better than me."
Josh smiled, "Was that an attempt at flattery?"
"Yeah, not a good one I admit."
"I think your problems are three fold and have nothing to do with John Hoynes."
"Go on."
"Really, you really want to hear this, because usually you just shrug and ignore me." Will nodded so Josh continued. "Okay, well first off is Gabriel Watters."
"Yeah, I heard about him. He's suddenly moving in all right circles."
Josh nodded. "Personally I think we may as well vote Republican and be done with it, but his people are getting serious."
"Second?" Will asked.
"Ifan Marshall."
"Seriously? He's nobody in party."
Josh shrugged, "Neither was Jed Bartlet, but he seems to have done okay."
"I almost dread to ask who the third is," Will sighed.
"Bob Russell."
"Josh, don't start...."
"You asked me the question, Will. He's a terrible candidate and you know it. If he wasn't VP then he wouldn't even be in the running. It's less than 12 months to Iowa, you need to make some decisions soon."
"I've made my decision."
"Really?"
"Yeah. What about you?"
"I have a job."
"Only for another two years."
"Two years is a long time. I'm not about to jump ship."
"Me either."
Josh nodded and shrugged. "Loyalty's a good thing, unless it's to the wrong person."
Will considered that and his next question. "Is that why you left Hoynes?"
"Yeah and I thought Jed Bartlet would make a better president."
"You were right," Will agreed.
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Tuesday Afternoon
Margaret handed Leo a memo to sign. "You know, Leo, I'm pretty sure there's a law against having to work in such cold conditions."
"Not here there isn't."
"I can't type properly because my fingers are so cold."
Leo handed the memo back, "What do you think I can do about it?"
"You're the chief of staff."
"And."
"Maintenance work for you."
"They're not on strike, Margaret, they're trying to fix it. And don't ask me how long it'll be."
"I'm just saying, it's cold."
"It's cold in here as well, in case you hadn't noticed. I don't have a fan heater hidden under my desk."
"Yeah, but you have the afternoon sun coming through your window."
"The afternoon sun?" Leo asked. "It's January."
"I'm just saying, the glass in the window acts like a ........."
"Margaret!"
"Yes."
"Go and do some work."
"Yeah."
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"Margaret says there's a law against having to work in extremes of temperature," Donna told Josh.
"She's probably right."
"So why are we still here?"
"This is The White House, we're ex...."
"Exempt from workplace laws," Donna sighed. "You know it's actually warmer outside, at least the sun's shining out there."
"You want to go and work in the Rose Garden?"
"Just tell me we're not working late tonight."
"I can tell you we're not," Josh offered.
"But you'd be lying."
"Yeah."
"Fine. I'm going to the mess for cocoa, you want one?"
"Actually, could you see if there's any soup I like."
"Would you like croutons with that?" Donna asked.
Josh ignored the sarcasm. "Nah, they go all soggy, I don't like that."
"God it's cold," Toby complained as he entered the office.
"Donna's going to get soup, you want some?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"Fine," Donna sighed. "I'll add waitressing to my list of duties."
"Okay," Josh agreed with a smile as Donna left the office. " 'Sup?" he asked Toby.
"Russell wants us to talk about sheep subsidies in the State Of The Union."
"I heard. But we're not going to are we?"
"Will's bound to bring it up at Senior Staff and then the president will latch onto it."
"He shouldn't even be at those meetings," Josh complained. "He isn't on the senior staff."
"This is what I've been telling people," Toby agreed.
Part 3 >>>>