Title: Chocolate Time Daylight Series 7/?
By: chipmunk
Pairing: Leo/Margaret
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Beta By: Lee pigletnpooh@comcast.net
Disclaimer:
The characters are from the NBC, WB, A John Wells Prod., TV show, 'The West Wing'.
They own them; therefore, they do not belong to me.
They are the creation and property of Aaron Sorkin. I only borrowed them.
No copyright infringement is intended. No monetary benefit is received or anticipated.
Please keep in mind that, 'Imitation is the highest form of flattery'.
A 'grateful' and 'enormous' thanks, to the actors and actresses,
who portray the characters brilliantly and bring them to life in my head.
Any mistakes found in this fic, are totally my own fault and ignorance.
This is a learning process for me. Additions and Corrections are encouraged.
Feedback: I would love it hear your opinion! PLEASE! It helps to improve my writing!
Archived at:
Summary: They have a fight and Margaret resigns.
*****
Thursday in Leo's Office
Margaret has been reminding Leo all day of things not to overlook or bringing items to him. She's anticipating his needs before he's even aware of them. She's on edge today and has little patience with him, especially since he's not appreciating her help. She has reminded him of three meetings and two important calls to return. She has practically worn out the carpet between their offices, bringing him stacks of files and several cups of coffee all day. She even brought him lunch, since he wouldn't stop to go eat. His phone has been ringing all day, till both of them were hard pressed to keep up with it. He's been booming out her name all day, usually just when she's coming through the door with what he needs.
At 3pm she brings him some aspirin, since she has taken a dose for her headache. ~By the way Leo is rubbing his head he needs some aspirin also.~ "Here, Leo, you need to take these. Here's some water," she informs him, while she holds out two tablets and the glass of water.
"No, Margaret, not now! Can't you see I busy here? Put it down, I'll get to them later," Leo answers her in a growl.
"Do you 'need' me to stay till you take them," she raises her voice to get his attention with a slight warning tone.
"Margaret, I don't need you to! I can take care of myself! I-do-not-need-you! Now, leave," his shouting getting even louder as he gets to the end of his tirade.
"Fine, Leo, I'm leaving," she shouts back and her face is white as a sheet, with hurt and anger! ~That's it, I'm outta here!~
Margaret marches into her office and snatches up a sheet of his letterhead paper, she scribbles furiously a short note on it, then stomping back into his office, too mad to speak or even look at him and slaps the paper on his desk, right on top of what he's reading.
"What's this," he grabs her paper up and waves it in her direction, but she whirls around and heads back out to her office. She refuses to answer him. Leo can see her flip off the computer with a snap and grab her purse, slinging it over her shoulder, she then quickly moves out of his view. Leo looks down at the crumpled sheet of paper and scribbled in the middle of the sheet, it reads,
'I resign, as of now!
Permanently!
Date and time are listed.
Reason: Services no longer needed.
Signed, Margaret'
~Oh My God, what have I done! I didn't mean it. She resigned. She can't be gone.~
Leo stares at the paper, he's totally still, except his hand holding the paper is shaking. His mind is blank, unable to comprehend. Not knowing what to do. Barely breathing. Five minutes pass and finally his legs crumble and he drops to his chair, just staring at the door Margaret left by. The office is so empty without Margaret there. Scary. He stares out at her quite office. He has no memory of time passing.
"Leo, 'what' did you do to Margaret? You tell me and you tell me now! Charlie saw her leaving the lobby in tears," the President storms in through the connecting door. He's not even breaking stride, till he's beside Leo. Leo finally focuses on him with a sad face and doesn't even rise in the presence of the President.
Leo answers in a soft trembling voice, "Oh God, Jed, I really blew it, I yelled at Margaret that I didn't need her and she permanently resigned. She's gone," he is looking at his friend for help.
The President knows this is a serious mistake and that Leo's completely overwhelmed by it. He sinks into the visitor chair in front of Leo. He reaches out to Leo's hand, which is still shaking that's holding Margaret's resignation and covers it with his own hand in sympathy. He also knows that Leo has feelings for Margaret. Feelings that are stronger than what Leo'll admit to. Jed sees that they're written on his best friends face right now. He was hoping they were starting to build the groundwork for those feelings. Looking Leo in the eyes for him to see how sincere he is, he commands, "you have to go after her and tell her how you feel about her. Don't stop till she forgives you, no matter how long it takes. Don't let her slip away. Go now! The world will wait, this won't," His friend gives a warning plea and the urgency for Leo to do what he knows is right.
Leo looks at his friend's caring face and knows that's what he must do, it'll be hard to convince her, but he has to try. He has to have his Margaret back! Leo stands and walks to the middle of his office. "Jed, I'll fix this or I won't be back, I can't do anything without her." Leo bows his head and thinks with his hands jammed into his pants pockets, not knowing what to do first to right this. Turning to his friend he states with conviction, "I won't lose my happiness again. Not again!"
"I know, Leo," the President stands and wraps an arm around Leo. "I'll take care of your office. Don't worry, that's what best friends are for. Grab your stuff and get out of here. Go find her and tell her!"
Leo makes a quick look around and stuffs some folders in his desk and flips off the computer. Grabbing his briefcase, he turns to the President, "Wish me luck and you might light a candle or two, this might take awhile." He remembers to grab his cell phone off his desk at the last moment and hurries out the door. The President just looks at the ceiling with a silent prayer before going in search of Charlie to get someone to reorganize and cover Leo's schedule.
*******
Leo arrives outside Margaret's apartment and doesn't really remember the ride there. He knew he was too upset to drive his own car, so he had his driver, Eddie, drop him off. ~It's been just over an hour since Margaret slapped her resignation on my desk, it seems like days ago and just a few minutes at the same time.~ Standing outside her door he takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.
Margaret hears knocking on her door and just glances at the door from the couch, where she's curled up in the throw pillows, crying and hugging a whole box of tissues. The dam has broken and she has no hope of stopping it any time soon.
Leo, outside her door, knows he has a key, but he doesn't feel he should use it, since she's really mad at him. It would be wrong to barge in uninvited and he's in enough trouble, as it is. He knocks again, hoping she'll answer this time. He's sure she's there, since she was seen leaving the Whitehouse crying, and she'd head straight home to her retreat from the world. Again, Margaret refuses to go to the door; the world can go to hell, as far as she's concerned. ~I'm having a cry and I've earned it. It's been the day from hell. To hell with Leo McGarry and his office. See how he manages now, without me there!~ She breaks out in heavy sobs again at the thought of it all.
From outside Leo can hear her sobs through the door and his heart's breaking, knowing he's the cause. He leans his forehead to the door and presses both hands against it also, "Margaret, is me, Leo. Please open the door," he's afraid she'll not hear him or will not answer him. He waits, barely breathing softly against the door. "Please, Margaret, I need to talk to you," he still doesn't hear any movement inside the apartment. "Margaret, are you all right in there," he's now afraid she's made herself sick and will not open the door. "Margaret, just come to the door. Please. You don't have to open it, if you don't want to. Just come close enough to hear me," he's pleading now and trying to coax her to the door. He lays his cheek to the door. He doesn't care who overhears him, just so that Margaret hears him. "I'll wait as long as you need. I'm sorry, Margaret, really sorry. Let me explain. Let me try to make it OK again. Please!"
Margaret can hear him through the door, with the sorrow in his voice and has moved to the desk chair, by the door. She's hurt and mad at him, but she moved nearer the door, just to be close to him. ~What am I going to do, he hurts my feelings and then says he's sorry. I know he means it afterwards, but I just couldn't take any more yelling and he said he didn't need me. I don't know if I should just cut it clean and never see him. Can I face a life without him in it? Should I let him in to explain? To try and work this out.~ She starts to sob at her own indecision.
Leo can hear her, just on the other side of the door, sobbing again and it's killing him that she's so close and will not let him in. He slides down to his knees, hands still on the door, down to the level he hears her sobs, he doesn't know what else to tell her. When all he really wants to do is to look in her eyes and let her see he really didn't mean it. "Margaret, I'll just sit here. It's OK. I need to tell you I'm sorry. Anytime you want to talk, I'm here. If you want me to leave, you have to say so. Just please let me say I'm sorry. Please, Margaret," his voice is softer; he doesn't know what else to say and he has little hope she'll want to see him. He's really made a mess of this. He leans against the door jam and pulls his knees up and rests his head on top of his folded arms. Sighing deeply. So sad, he's near to tears himself.
Margaret on the other side hears his sad sigh and knows she has to let him talk. The thought of him just waiting in the hall breaks her heart, even though he earned it this day. She doesn't know what she'll respond to him, she just knows he's sincere in his effort to talk to her. She stands and with tears still slowly flowing, she opens the door to find Leo on the floor, folded up like a lost soul. "Leo, come in."
Leo pushes himself off the floor and grabs the door casing to stand; he looks at Margaret's face, still wet with tears. She steps back for him to enter. He quickly crosses the doorway and pushes the door closed behind him; half afraid she'll change her mind about letting him in. "Margaret, I was wrong and I shouldn't have yelled that I don't need you. I'm really sorry. I 'need' you in my life, not just at work. I'm really sorry. I'll 'never' say that to you again. I promise." He pauses momentarily, to see how she's taking his apology. "Margaret, please don't cry. I never meant to make you cry. I'm sorry. Standing out in the hall and hearing you cry was killing me," Leo says this all in a rush, for fear she'll not let him say it all before he finds himself outside the door again. "Don't cry any more."
She's been standing there, with sorrow on her face, as she hears Leo pleading with her to forgive him. Even though his words hurt her, 'she hurts when he hurts' even now when she feels her lowest. The sobs start again and she moves to sit on the couch and Leo sits beside her. He turns toward her, so he can see her face. She can tell that he's really sincere and is being really honest with her, not just trying to smooth this over. He seems to be desperate for her answer. ~He hasn't been this nervous since he came out of rehab.~
"Margaret, please don't cry again," he reaches a hand up to cup her face and uses his thumb to wipe uselessly at her tears that are flowing free again. "Please forgive me, I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I 'do' need you. I was wrong to lose my temper with you. When you left, you took Leo McGarry with you. I was just empty. Will you forgive me, just one more time?"
She looks at him with tears hanging on her lashes, "Oh Leo, I'll think I can forgive you, just about anything. You're my Leo and I forgive you." She then looks down at her hands and starts to shred the tissues she's holding. "I was hurt, angry and mad at both of us. It was a bad day for me right from the start and I know you were having a tough day, too. I was trying so hard to make it easier. We both had a headache and then you yelled. My temper just snapped. Then I yelled back at you and left. I was at fault some too. I got a bit bossy with you and we both were on edge. We both needed to yell at something and we yelled at each other. I guess it was just a bad day for me to need a good cry." She turns her face toward Leo's, so he can see that she's as sincere as he is. "We can work this out. I 'need' you too, Leo," she wants to reassure him that she believes there's hope that they'll be OK again.
He has his arm across the back of the couch and can just rub his fingertips on her back. He leans forward and kisses her tear stained cheek. "Thank you Margaret, for giving me another chance, I'll really try to fix this. Why do you need a good cry today? Is something wrong that I can help you with? You have been helping me for what seems like most of my life. I don't know what to do, without you there to tell me," he's concerned for her and wants to start on fixing their friendship.
She takes a deep, shaky breath from crying and then she looks down to hide her face from Leo, with her hair hanging down. "I hate to say this, but it's my 'chocolate' time of the month," she confess this quietly, not ever admitting this to a male before.
Leo chuckles at her, placing his free hand over hers and gives her a hug with the arm that's draped around her, "I guess I've never heard it called 'that' before, but it's probably a good description. So, should I go out and get you lots of chocolate for me to use to grovel with and hope for your forgiveness. At least you have a real reason to feel short tempered and miserable," he's trying to tease her out of being uncomfortable telling him.
"Oh, Leo, sometimes I think chocolate can fix most of the problems in my world. Maybe this time too," she answers with a small smile and a happier tone in her voice.
Leo smiles back at her, happy that she's not crying any more. Glad that she seems to be more comfortable with him and his apology. He gives her shoulders another squeeze and then looks at their hands that are still in her lap. "Margaret, I do want to talk serious with you about us. I now know that I have feelings for you. In the office, when I thought that you were gone for good, I just couldn't comprehend my life without you. I was devastated that I wouldn't have you near me. I think my feelings are serious toward you and I'd like us to explore those feelings together that is if you feel the same," while telling her just how important she is to him, he lifts his hand to her chin and turns her face toward his to read the look in her eyes.
"Leo, are you saying, what I think you're saying," she questions him, with her heart not knowing whether to race or to stop beating, while he confirms what he just said.
"I am," he looks her in the eyes for her to see how really serious he is. "Yes, Margaret," he kisses her forehead, "I want us to see where a more romantic relationship will lead. We're friends first, now I'd like for us to be a couple."
"Oh, Leo," she sighs a happy sigh, but she also gives him a sad smile, with a knowing look.
"Margaret, I don't care about the world's opinion of us. I'll not risk losing you.' He can tell that she's thinking about what he's saying and about them being a couple. He pulls her to lean on him and they settle in to the corner of the couch. "I have cared for you for years as our friendship grew. Lately, since we have been spending more time together out of the office, those feelings have grown to be much more and I wasn't even aware of it. Maybe that's why I've developed the new habit of dropping kisses on you. I'm happy when I'm with you." He pauses reflecting, "I guess I yelled at you because I feel really close to you. Like it was safe to yell at you, if that makes any sense? I've been taking you for granted and I'm really sorry about that, also." He drops a kiss to the top of her head, just as he likes to do. "Margaret, we don't have to move to fast, just whatever is comfortable for you. I know we get along here wonderfully and I hope we can take our friendship to the next level. I think we can."
Still laying against his side, Margaret leans forward and places her hand on his chest. She then moves closer to him and places a firm, but gently kiss, right on his lips, something that she has wanted to do for longer than she can remember. She shifts back to lean on his side again, "Damn my hormones," she blames them for her action and blushes a bright red; a few tears sliding down her cheeks.
"I think your hormones are doing just fine," he soft laughs and then pulls her to him in a gentle hug and kisses her fully but gently, till they both need to catch their breath. By now, they've slipped down to be practically lying on the couch. He pulls his face back and rests his cheek on top of her head, she rests the side her face on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Can we just stay like this forever? It's so nice to hold you, again," Leo wishes out loud. "I was so scared today. Half of me was gone," he softly confides to her.
"You, Leo McGarry, scared," she scoffs.
"Yes, me." He confirms, "You left and I was scared in so many ways. Scared you wouldn't come back. Scared of you not being there. Scared you wouldn't want me to be around you. Scared you wouldn't want to see me. Scared I'd lose you and not have you in my life. Scared enough to come straight here and tell you how I feel about you."
"Leo, I'll always want you around and, mind you, this is probably not the last time we are going to fight that's just our nature. "Ok, Leo, I'll give us a chance. This is the first time I started a relationship with a fight," she chuckles to his chest.
Leo grins and offers a bright point, "Well, the making up is the best part. You don't know how many times I've caught myself starting to drop a kiss on you at the office. I guess, I'll still have to behave myself, but it'll be hard," he can see her lightly blush, but still smile as she considers his restraint.
"Yes, Leo, we'll have to have some professionalism at work, we don't want to be the next Josh and Donna of the White House," she teases him right back, happy to be making up with him.
"Can I stay here this evening with you? I'll fix you dinner. I didn't bring food this time, but we can raid the kitchen and see what's there to make for dinner," he's not above bribery to spend more time with her, now that he's in her good graces again.
"Leo, don't you need to go back to the office? I don't think I can face the staff there this evening with my red eyes," she knows the office will always take a front seat, but she'll be there with him, but not really wanting to tonight.
"I'll call the President and see what's going on and see if he needs me this evening. Maybe he'll let me play hooky," he gives a hopeful grin.
"Won't the President be mad at you that you left your office," she asks, now that she realizes that it is too early in the evening for him to be out of the office.
"He found me in my office after you left, he took one look at my face and told me not to worry that he'd have my office covered, so I could come and find you to apologize. He said that's what best friends are for," he wanted her to know how bad he felt after she left.
"Well, Leo, you call him and I go put some cool water on my face and meet you in the kitchen," she starts on a plan for the evening.
*****
Leo enters the kitchen to find Margaret with her head in the freezer. "Is that a new trick to repair a tear stained face," he knows that he might get in trouble for that remark, but he's so happy to be there with Margaret, he can't resist teasing her, since it's one of his ways of showing her affection. He's not disappointed when she steps away for the frig and gives him one of her best glares and then smiles at him, knowing why he's teasing her.
"Well, good news, the President won't let me in the building tonight, he wants us to have sometime tonight to make up," he grins at her. "I told him that we're going to pursue being a couple and that's when he banned me from returning to the White House tonight."
"Oh, Leo, that's just embarrassing to think that the President is encouraging us and yet, on the other hand, it's sweet of him.
"I'll let him know that you appreciate his help, it'll please him immensely," he teases her with the truth.
"Leo, you better go change into some soft clothes. We've already made a shambles of your suit," her practical side kicks back in.
"Ok, but don't start on choosing our dinner till I get back," he warns as he like to run the kitchen when he is there.
"Alright, but Ill let you know what I find, when you get back. You better do your quick-change trick, as I'm starving now that I am happy again. It's one of my PMS symptoms," she warns him.
"Margaret, you care to clue me into your other PMS symptoms," Leo asks with a worried voice.
"Scared, Leo," she gets in the last tease.
The End
18th May 2003
blessings
chipmunk
Betty Lou Riley
riley2@bright.net