Title: Apartment 3/8 Daylight Series 9/?
By: chipmunk
See disclaimers in Part one
Archived at:
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In the car traveling to Margaret's, after stopping at the grocery store
Margaret voices a wish. "Leo, I really hope the next apartment building has an elevator. It would be so much easier, with the way you keep loading us down with enough groceries for an army on the weekends." She couldn't help from teasing him 'again' for the way he goes through a grocery store. He can fill a cart in no time flat. He really enjoys buying food, like it's a hobby or a challenge to him.
"Margaret, have you ever seen Josh eat in the evenings," Leo seriously asks. "As a teenager, his parents could hardly keep enough groceries in the house." Leo can remember a lanky kid full of energy. "I still don't know were he put it all, at the time.
He was just a typical teenage boy Leo. Boys tend to eat their way through high school," Margaret assures him. You just raise a delicate girl and not boys.
Just to make his point to Margaret, "His Mom even said he was so bad, it was like when he was an infant. He still had to eat every two hours, the whole time he was awake. He goes back to the Josh they know now, "So, Let me warn you, Josh may sincerely be helping us out due to friendship, but it'll cost us in groceries."
"Leo, he can't be that bad?" She laughs, thinking about Josh's eating habits now. "He's just like you, Leo. Donna has to keep him fed or he would starve or live on coffee.
Leo just makes a gruff sound, not willing to comment on the truth about himself.
Margaret, still with laughter in her voice, "Maybe back in high school, Josh was stocking up for the time he would be working in the White House."
"We'll see, Margaret, but I warned you. Leo decides to reveal his close personal opinion of Josh, "He's always been fond of refrigerators." Margaret can't help but chuckle at that comment. "He ranks they just about as important as his home stereo. He's 'still' a teenager at heart." Leo's trying to sound serious to her, while listening to Margaret's enjoyment of his statement.
"That's a great opinion to have about the White House's Deputy Chief of Staff, Leo." She sarcastically but teasingly, points out. She now adds her opinion, "I'm glad Josh is still like that, after the stress of the White House, but let's not let the press know your personal opinion," She teases Leo. "Seriously, Leo, with your worry lines," She smiles over at him, "you could take a page from Josh's book on controlling stress."
He glances a smile at her and looks back to the traffic, "I'm doing better at relaxing at your place, Margaret." Remembering the playful fun they have there. "Don't you think I am?" They arrive at the parking lot of Margaret's Building. Leo turns off the key and looks hopefully over at Margaret. "We could neck like teenagers later tonight and work on reducing our stress levels." He looks at her suggestively gives her a quick kiss, to try and sway her answer.
"We'd better get you inside, Leo," she suggests as she scans around outside the car windows. "We may get an audience, if you keep looking at me like that. She gives him a pointed 'you know' look, "No necking outside, remember, Leo?"
"Fine, necking 'inside' works for me and the 'kids' aren't here yet! We can be alone for a little while; Leo's totally happy and agreeable with her plan. Since she just talked her way, right into his way of thinking.
"Kitchen first, Leo." She sternly sets a rule. "Necking later, maybe."
She can just see Leo's mind working.
"You may be right, Margaret." Leo agrees with a smile and he seems in a hurry now to get inside the apartment. "Josh will need to eat upon arrival," he flips as a weak excuse for his impatience.
They finally get in the apartment with their load of groceries and after setting them on the kitchen counters, Margaret turns wanting to go change before the others get there. Leo grabs her wrist and turns her back to him and wraps his arms around her. The next thing she knows he has her locked into a passionate kiss, that takes her breath away.
Coming up for air Margaret exclaims, "Leo, I thought the necking was on hold until later tonight."
"No. You said, and I quote, 'kitchen first, necking later', he calmly points out to her the flaw in her rule. "This 'is' later than before and we 'are' in the kitchen." He smirks a grin at her since he's right.
She smiles back at him in her defeat, "Leo, now I know how you got us in the White House. You can get anyone to agree to your point of view." He grins with a look that's saying, 'of course'.
"Yeah. Well, now I'm feeling the all stress again, since you mentioned it." He pulls her into another kiss.
Margaret breaks again for air, her heart doing a strange tattoo, "When I said later, Leo. I meant really later, like in late tonight," she thinks it's time to revise her rule or they won't be stopping anytime soon.
"I'm not complaining about the timing." He has an innocent look on his face, while he's gazing at her lips, "I'm willing to kiss you now and later," Leo's sounding in a helpful mood and is still winning his point.
"Leo, this is 'not' getting us changed into our casual clothes and getting dinner started, before they get here. I need to change and so do you," Margaret's trying to get Leo's mind back to the evenings schedule and off the kissing, she needs to focus also on something else.
Leo has her still caught loosely in the circle of his arms, as she pulls back. "We can help each other to change, if it will make you happy and expedite the process," he volunteers with a pleased look on his face at his suggestion.
"Leo, out!" She then folds her arms in front of her, between them, waiting for him to comply. He let's her go.
"Again, Margaret? He has a hangdog look on his face, "You keep throwing me out of rooms, but this is the first time you've thrown me out of the kitchen." His head pops up and he tilts his head to the side and points out to her, "Remember, Margaret, you said it was my kitchen when I'm here. So, you're throwing me out of my own kitchen." He places his hand, spread wide, on his chest like he has rights.
Margaret drops her arms and looks at the ceiling and then at him, "Leo, It's going to be a long night? I can just tell, since you're in such a good mood. Right?"
He starts for the bathroom to change his clothes and he throws back over his shoulder to her, "The longer with you the better, Margaret."
"Oh, Leo. You say the nicest things when I least expect them." She softly answers back to him and she watches him leave with a happy smile. Anticipating the evening they are going to share with friends and the time they'll spend together later. She heads to her room to change. ~I'd better move myself. Leo will be returning any minute, since he's fast at changing. He'll want to get back to his kitchen. Yes, I know, It's his kitchen when he's here at the apartment. She thinks back to the first time he used her kitchen and it seemed a dream come true for her.~
Shortly, after changing, they're both in the kitchen getting dinner started when the doorbell rings. Leo's stirring the lean ground chuck he's making for the tacos and Margaret is putting taco shells on a plate to heat in the microware, when needed. She knows better than to touch Leo's vegetables. He can chop 'his' vegetables when he has the taco seasoning, simmering in the beef.
"I'll get the door Leo. It has to be them." She moves to the front of the apartment enjoying the Kenny G music, that she put on before going to the kitchen to help Leo. Which she knows, he grudgingly lets her help. He is very possessive of his time in the kitchen.
She peeks out the security port and it's Josh and Donna on the other side. She swings the door wide, "Hey you two, we're were listening for you to arrive." She notices that they took Leo at his word. "Josh, Leo's in the kitchen. You can take your soda in and put it into the frig." She smiles big and jokes with Josh. "Leo, warned me that you check the location of the frig when you arrive, so you won't starve."
Josh's grinning and the dimples are in full force, "He knows me too well. Eating is on of my favorite pastimes." That may be a statement or a warning. Either is OK!
"Don't worry," she giggles at his honesty. "We stopped at the grocery store on the way here and Leo bought enough food for an army. She rolls her eyes at Donna and they grin at each other, in remembrance of when Donna had to help him in with the bags. She informs Josh why they are grinning, "Donna has seen the amount of food he brings in for a weekend."
"You won't stare, Josh, believe me, if Leo did the shopping," Donna confirms, as she note the pleased look on Josh's face.
"Alright, food feast tonight," Josh declares and he heads to the kitchen to find Leo and the frig.
Margaret and Donna just grin at his happy mood. Josh's needs seem to be simple tonight, food, and friends, plus down time.
Donna remarks, "This is a much needed and will be a really good evening for Josh. He needs to unwind almost as much as Leo." She is sure in her facts. "I absolutely forbid him to look at a file folder tonight," she confesses.
Margaret peeks toward where the guys are in the kitchen and listens to make sure that they're busy, "Donna, bring your bags. We'll drop Josh's off in the bathroom. Then we'll go to my room and you let me see what you brought to change into for the movie. You can help me pick out something to drive Leo crazy!
"Margaret, you do want to live dangerously, Donna points out. "This is Leo McGarry you're playing with.
Margaret just smiles and reveals one of the holds she has on Leo, "I have noticed he is 'so' into lingerie and I think he's really prefers satin." Donna eyes light up with interest. So, Margaret continues the confession, "I have a short satin robe, that just makes him catch his breath," she confides to Donna with a womanly smirk.
"No," Donna's amazed by this unbelievable, but this interesting fact. Impressed that Margaret is able to use this information, to work on Leo.
"Really! I've caught him doing it! Oh, Donna, Its so much fun." She describes his reaction, "His eyes just smolder and his breathing is shallow." Margaret remembers with a grin and Donna grins with her. Enjoying the bonding of the Sisterhood, that's alive and working well here.
Donna digs into her bag and pulls out a pink stretchy, sleep tank top and dark pink swirled satin pants. "Hey, Margaret!" Donna asks, "Wonder if Josh likes satin too?" She giggles and Margaret joins her at the thought. They are so bad and payback of any kind to the guys is fair game.
"Oh, Donna, I just remembered. I have satin sleep pants also and the same form fitting, sleep tank top, in white. We can really make them crazy. The long satin pants will keep us covered decent and the tops will drive them wild.
'I'm game," Donna agrees with her. "Josh will just drool." Very confident that she can make Josh's to have difficulty breathing.
"Leo, just gives me such a look and I just melt," Margaret anticipates his reaction.
They girls laugh at the reactions they know the guys will respond to.
Donna figures Josh has been in the kitchen long enough to be starving, being that close to food. "We better go check on the guys, before Josh goes ahead and eats without us."
In the kitchen, while the girls were in the bedroom discussing the guys. Leo's was just adding the seasonings to the beef. After he had removed the excess grease, which Margaret insists he do, for his cholesterol level.
"Hey, Leo!" Josh greets him as he breezes into the room and aims straight to the frig. Leo looks over his shoulder with a smile. He has Josh pegged. "I brought the soda that you recommend and Donna wanted us to grab some chips and dip for later," he lets Leo know what he brought.
"Good, since you will be ready for your next two hour feeding, by the time we get to the movie, Leo teases him with an old joke of Noah's.
"I'm not that bad, Leo!" Grinning he reminds Leo, "Dad just said than when we traveled. I'll be nice and I'll even share. I insisted to Donna, on us buying the ex-large tub of dip." Josh adds to refresh Leo, on which one they picked up. "It's that wonderful Dill one that CJ always has when we go over to her place. The one from Blackburn's deli, we just got in the door, before they closed for the evening.
"Oh, that is great dip." He looks at Josh with mock threat, "You'd better share."
Josh looks at the doorway and listens, "Wonder what the girls are giggling about."
"Us, if I know my Margaret and I do," Leo states
"Yeah, Donna loves to drag me over the coals with Margaret. He lowers his voice to Leo, so he's not over heard. "I see the looks they fling my direction, when I pass them and they're talking in the mess. He looks at the doorway again as he hears the girls laughing. Josh does a fake shutter, "Makes a guy uneasy at time." He adds to Leo, "Makes you wonder what the Sisterhood is up to."
"The Sisterhood is a dangerous thing, Josh, but we love to play with danger." He looks at the doorway also, "I guess we'll find out some time tonight." He adds, "I hear them coming, now." He hands the large spoon to Josh, "Here you stir this and I'll get the vegetables chopped, so we can eat."
"Good, I'm staving." Josh readily agrees to help, before the girls get there. He doesn't want to look totally useless in at kitchen.
"Hey, Leo," Margaret protests looking at Josh at the stove, "You're letting him help you and I lucky to be allowed in the kitchen."
"Well, the way you two women were giggling in your room, I figured I needed all the male reinforcements I could gather around me," Leo defends his decision.
Donna grins at Josh and reveals, "Leo, you do realize that Josh doesn't know how to cook."
"He should be OK." Leo glances at Josh just to check, "he's just stirring the beef and seasons around." Leo now states some reality, "He's not too young to learn how and if he dumps it on the floor. We'll fix a new batch," Leo logically points out.
"Nothing like a little confidence there, Leo." I 'can' do simple cooking, you know, Donna," Josh tries to defend himself.
'Yes, Josh, real simple. You boil water and everything else goes into the microwave," she gives the short list of his cooking achievements.
"Works for me," he's confident that's more than enough skills. "Maybe, Leo, will teach me a few tricks about cooking. Just so that what I do fix will end up better."
"Not, till I'm in the new apartment," she nips that teaching lesson in the bud as she warns, this kitchen's going to be packed up and moved first or Leo'll have a fit if he has to wait to try out the new kitchen.
Speaking of my new kitchen," Leo winks at Margaret, "We need to get this evenings business underway and first we eat."
"Good idea, Leo. Josh's always in a better mood after he eats," Donna rubs Josh on the abdomen and Josh grins at her and drops a kiss on her forehead. Stepping out of his reach she volunteers, "I'll get the drinks ready."
Leo asks, "Margaret, would you get the cold ingredients from the frig. I have the onions, lettuce and some different peppers sliced.
Everyone lends a hand and they're soon sitting at the small table and the guys continue in teasing the girls about being sissies.
"Josh and Leo, you two are going to be sick. Eating those tacos that hot. It makes me have heartburn to watch you," Donna admonishes both of the guys, not even considering when she's here at the apartment, that both are her boss. Let alone the first one is know to yell at her and the other growls at her.
"You got that right, Donna. I may have to take the antacids myself after watching them," Margaret joins her in tearing the guys, for eating food that would injure most people.
"Well, I for one, am stuffed and the wonderful searing is still working its way down." Leo is enjoying the females discomfort in watching them eat tacos.
He decides to torment Margaret, "Want a kiss Margaret? Leo teases.
She immediately snaps back, "No, not till you brush, I don't. Your mouth is lethal right now! She looks at him like he's crazy.
"How about you. Donna, want to tongue tango." Josh challenges her.
"Not till you rinse with soda at least and it may be risky still then," She's braver than Margaret. The young usually are.
Josh quickly leans over to surprise Donna, who's sitting on his right and grabs her behind the neck and plants a big passionate kiss on her.
"Oh, my gosh, where's the water?" She's trying to drink soda and chew him at the same time. "Josh I said after you rinse. You did that just to be cute. She give him a warning, "I'll just have to think of some kind of punishment for you later."
"Sorry Donna! When you say punishment, is that a Sisterhood thing," he sounds worried and looks to Leo, who may have to rescue him.
"You bet, Josh. So, be very afraid," Donna confirms it and gives a wicked little smile.
Josh does not know if this is going to be a good punishment of a bad punishment. He hears her warning, but her smiles, gives him hope.
"OK, you two, time we moved this to the computer and see what we can find on Rent.com," Leo announces, to get everyone into the other room.
They all clear the table and take everything to the kitchen. Margaret suggests, "Leo you go start the computer and Donna can help me pack away the leftovers." She winks at Leo, "Josh may want to eat again later."
Donna standing behind Josh and snickers at the truth of Margaret's statement.
Josh feeling he is being picked on again, decides to retreat with Leo, "I'll just go see what Margaret has in the way of music cd's," Josh volunteers, always going for the stereo.
"Sorry, Josh, no Doobie Brothers, but you're welcome to see what I have that you might like," Margaret approves his idea to select the evenings music. ~This should be interesting. At least it's my music.~ Leo gives her a look over his shoulder that says, you're sure you want him running the music. She just smiles back reassuringly.
Leo and Josh are huddled around the computer, by the time the girls get to the living room. Leo is sitting at the desk and Josh is standing behind him. Margaret smiles when she hears her greatest 60's cd on. She loves the surfing music of that era. It does sounds like something that Josh could get into.
Josh looks like he's waiting impatiently for them to get into the living room, "Donna dance with me," he grabs her and starts to gyrate to the beat of the music. She loves it when his in a happy mood and joins in his enjoyment.
"Margaret," Josh exclaims, "where has this music been hiding all my life." Josh's so pleased with her surfer music.
Leo gives a dry comeback, "Probably packed away in my stuff. On an old 8-track," Leo grins, this is his kind of music, but keeps that to himself. Josh would just use it against him someday.
"So, Leo what did you find?" Margaret pulls her attention from the couple enjoying the music and wraps her arms around his neck while she looks over his shoulder.
"Well, Baby. It doesn't seem too hard to navigate. It wants what city you are looking to rent in and then you select size and price. After that, it then gave me a list of places that are renting," he reviews what he did.
"Ok, what numbers did you enter," she wants to know the limits he put in.
"That you're looking for two bedroom and I left the rent amount pretty broad. From under what you're paying here to an amount that would make you faint. He turns his face and kisses her cheek reassuringly, when she drawls a quick breathe at his faint number.
"Thanks, Leo, but I'm not viewing the higher priced ones, so you can start yelling now," she's certain that he'll lean toward the nice high priced ones and she might as well put her foot down now, so there is no fight later.
"Margaret," he growls softly, "all I'm asking is for you to have an open mind and we'll review the options.
Josh and Donna then join them at the computer to see what Leo's found, as the conversation sounds like it's getting interesting between Leo and Margaret. They are both curious to see if the office attitude is carried over to the apartment.
"So, Margaret you decided on two bedrooms this time." Josh wiggles his eyebrows at her. "Looking for a roomie? A male roomie?"
"Josh, that's real funny." Margaret's slightly caught off guard at his teasing. Her dreams do 'not' need to be said out loud by Josh. "Leo, where's the list we made last night, maybe we should review it for them and put an end to Josh's insinuations." ~Good covering, they'll never guess, they hit the nail on the head with the roomie remark.~
"That's no fun Margaret." Josh playfully whines, "I was just getting in gear to make this a fun search."
'That's why you get a review, Josh." Donna wraps her arms around Josh from behind and looks around him, at the Margaret 's list. Margaret continues to explain, "Ok, first we're looking at two-bedroom apartments for several reasons. First they're going to be easier to find in midterm and second, Leo wants an office/guest room with a closet for his clothes that he leaves here." She waits to see how that information sits with the other couple.
"So, he's leaving lots of clothes here? This is interesting," Josh still teases Margaret and gets a poke from Donna.
Leo turn and gives Josh a look that says, 'mess this up for me and you 'will' be sorry'. Josh wisely changes gears now. "Donna, you won't let me leave my stuff at your apartment and Leo getting a whole room, he sounds like he's pouting.
You're a slob, Josh, and if you left your stuff at my place, you'd be right behind it and then I'd have to take care of you and your stuff. Remember, I have been in your apartment," Donna reminds him.
Margaret adds another reason for the two-bedroom option, "Leo also thinks that the floor plans and kitchen will be better in two bedroom apartments. You usually end up with more floor space."
Donna points out, "That might be a lot more rent than this one, Margaret. Are you OK with that?"
Margaret is not about to let them know her and Leo's arrangement. She jokes, "Well, I may have to live on Leo's weekend leftovers, during the week to save on the groceries, but seriously, it'll be alright. We hashed this out last night and I agreed to go for it."
"No, you won't have to live on my leftovers." Leo growls at Margaret.
Margaret and Donna just look at each other to exchange a look, acknowledging that Leo's really being sweet. A true sign that Margaret's that important to him. Donna's still amazed that, the gruff and tough Leo McGarry's, so caring for Margaret here at the apartment, but she thinks is so nice. She knows that Josh's so much nicer away from the office, where they have to deal with the stress!
To get them back on track, Leo continues on what he found, "Ok, here is the listings and some have pictures. These all have two-bedroom and one bath, unless stated:
Barbara of Capitol Hill – $1250-$1500 700-850 sq. ft. some/Laundry Room Hardwood
Control access a/c refrig. Internet ceiling fan Garb/disp. cable
2.5 miles 10 min. from White House
Connecticut Heights- $1795-$2100 950 – 1050 sq. ft. some/Laundry Room Hardwood Control access a/c refrig. Internet ceiling fan Garb/disp. Cable micro covered parking pool tennis elevator 4.1 miles 17 min from White House
The Kenmore- $1781-$2100 980-1180 sq ft. some/Laundry Room Control access a/c refrig. Internet ceiling fan Cable micro covered parking, elevator carpeting walk-in closets 4.8 miles 19 min from White House
Potomac Place – $1390-$1460 972 sq ft. some/Laundry Room Control access a/c Internet ceiling fan Garb/disp. Cable covered parking, walk-in closets DishW fitness center Balcony/deck elevator. 2.9miles 9 min from White House
Latrobe – $1939-$2119 820 sq ft Laundry Room Control access a/c Internet ceiling fan Garb/disp. Cable micro covered parking, walk-in closets intrus. Alarm DishW pool hot tub covered parking dry cleaning 2 baths .08 miles 4 min from White House
Lexington – $2600-$3450 897-1209 Laundry Room Control access a/c refrig. Internet ceiling fan Cable micro covered parking, elevator carpeting walk- in closets garb disp carpeting balcony/deck club house fitness center ex storage DishW 1.1 miles 4 min. from White House
Well, that's six to major ones to consider. Leo, questions, "Now, are we going to look at all of them or weed out a few? Leo's not looking forward to viewing 'all of them' and they really do not have that much time.
"Well, Leo, I can tell you right now, the Lexington is out. It's too rich for my blood. So, don't even try to change my mind on it, she is reminding him of their conversation last night.
I think we missed the fireworks last night, Donna," Josh teases them, as he picks up on the non-verbal looks, that Leo and Margaret are exchanging. He does ask a good question next, "How far away from work are you willing to move, Margaret, Josh asks
"10 minutes traveling time, tops," is Margaret's quick and firm answer, that's an important factor to her. She sometimes needs to get to the White House in a hurry if Leo needs her.
"OK, Margaret, then that drops out the Kenmore and Connecticut Heights," Donna reasons.
Leo now jumps in "That leaves three and my opinion is that the Barbara of Capitol Hill, even though it's in the limit of 10 min. It is too inexpensive and does not have all the features Margaret's looking for." He lists them again, "The options she wants are security, price, two-bedrooms, 10 min. drive, larger kitchen, a possible dining area and a laundry closet.
"Ok, so that leaves the closest ones to the White House. Margaret reviews what's left. Potomac Place and Latrobe, they cost more, but they might be worth it. Wonder if they'll show them on a Sunday.
"It couldn't be that easy, Margaret," Donna's in disbelief.
"Well, I do have to face the fact, that I don't have a lot of time to search the city for the perfect place and I only have 30 days. So, I'm not going to be that choosy," Margaret's trying to be realistic about the move. I know it's going to cost more, but this one was so cheap and I 'do' know how to stretch a dollar." Leo growls again at her remark.
Leo outlines the new plan. "Ok, so the plan's to check on these two apartment buildings tomorrow, if they'll let us and go from there. If they won't work, we can try again.
"Can we go with you to look at them, Margaret," Donna asks hopefully.
"You know, that might be a good idea, now that you suggest it," Margaret's thinking out loud. "If Leo and I go alone, it would look bad if the press view us. It will look, to them, like we're searching for a place to move into together, but if the four of us go together. It looks like my friends are helping me search".
"What do you say, Josh." Leo give him a look of, please save me from two women looking at apartments, it's worse than taking them to the mall. "Want to spend part of your day tomorrow, looking at apartments," Leo asks, to see if Josh got the message.
"Sure, Leo. I can be free tomorrow. If is Donna going, then sure I'm going. Besides," He grins at the rest of them, with his dimples at their best, "We wouldn't want it to look like you two are shacking up." Donna rolls her eyes at that. Margaret has a slightly shocked look and Leo looks like he 'will' have a talk with Josh later. Josh just loves the looks he's getting.
"Alright, movie time!" Leo decides to change the topic and the activity. He has plans for Margaret during the movie.
"Good," Margaret's ready for some quality time with Leo, "Donna and I will go change in my room and you guys can take turns in the bathroom.
"Josh, I already put your clothes bag in there," Donna informs him before he can even open his mouth to ask her. She anticipates his needs almost as well as Margaret does Leo's.
"OK, Donna. Leo, I'll change first and then get the snacks out." Leo gives him a look to see if he can trust Josh in the kitchen, without him there to oversee him.
"What? He looks at Leo and then the Girls for defense. "It's chips and dip. How hard can that be," Josh's just replying to Leo's look. "Like, I'm not a total idiot in the kitchen."
"O.K, you get the bathroom first and I'll print the two apartments out on the printer, while I'm waiting for you to get back.
Margaret gives a cheerful but teasing promise, "Well, we'll see you guys later.