A/N: Sorry about the delay in updating. Real life's kept me pretty busy. I'll try to have the next chapter out soon. Thanks for the feedback so far, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
"Excuse me, is Ainsley in?"
Jamie looked up from the latest edition of Scoop – there was an interesting article claiming Mary Marsh had been cloned from alien DNA – and opened her mouth to ask the standard, "Do you have an appointment?"
What came out instead was, "You're Donna Moss."
Donna smiled. "Yes. Uh, have we met?"
Jamie shook her head, her auburn curls bouncing with the movement. "No, but I know you. I mean, I know who you are. You're one of the Hill's most beautiful people. You know, according to that one magazine."
Donna's cheeks reddened. "Um . . . So, Ainsley?"
"Oh, yes. She's in her office." As Jamie gestured to the door, it opened, and Ainsley came out balancing a pile of folders in her arms.
Ainsley grinned, even as the top folder slipped and fell to the floor, quickly followed by the rest. "Donna! What are you doing here? Did you slip away while Josh wasn't looking?"
Donna laughed and bent to help Ainsley pick up the folders. "I had to fetch something on the Hill."
Jamie knelt to help as well and couldn't help but listen to the conversation.
"So, I hear Sam's meeting your parents this weekend," Donna continued.
"Yeah, he's terrified." Ainsley chuckled. "I think it's kind of sweet."
"Do you think you guys would still be dating if you hadn't left the White House?"
Ainsley stood, depositing the files on Jamie's desk. "I'd like to think so. Let's face it, it was just a matter of time before something happened."
Donna nodded, though her smile was a little sad.
"Why? You thinking of leaving?"
"I don't know. No. I love my job."
Ainsley held her hands out, palms up as if she was weighing something. "Your job, your boss. Same thing in the end."
"Ainsley!"
She smiled. "You know, Donna, we only get one chance at this life. You should do what makes you happy."
"I . . ."
"I thought it would be hard to date a Democrat and, sure, it's not all smooth sailing, but it's worth it. I wouldn't give up Sam for anything in the whole world. Not my family, not the White House, nothing."
Jamie gaped at Ainsley. "That's, like, the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."
Ainsley and Donna looked at her, as if suddenly realizing she was there and the inappropriateness of their conversation. Jamie held up her hands.
"My lips are sealed. Just, for the record, half of D.C. thinks you and Mr. Lyman are doing it anyway." She picked up Scoop and opened it to the back page, revealing the results of the previous week's poll.
"'Which of Bartlet's Boys are most likely sleeping with their assistants?'" Donna read, horrified. "Leo McGarry, 3, Toby Ziegler, 7, Sam Seaborn, 6, CJ Cregg, 13, Josh Lyman, 71. Seventy-one percent?" The words came out as a strangled half-meow. "We're not – We've never—"
"Sam Seaborn?" Ainsley stared at the poll, a frown creasing her features. "Sam is not having an affair with Bonnie! He's not even having an affair with me."
"Really?" Donna asked. "You and Sam haven't--?"
"Really. We're taking things slowly." She let the magazine fall to the desk. "I can't believe you read this, Jamie."
Jamie didn't bother to hide her amusement. "You know, I noticed neither of you had anything to say about CJ Cregg being referred to as one of 'Bartlet's Boys'."
Ainsley and Donna looked at each other, then burst out laughing.
"You're a Democrat." William Hayes studied Sam for a long moment, then turned to his daughter. "Ainsley, my dear child, he's a Democrat."
"Yes, Daddy. But you knew that before." Ainsley hid the smile tugging at her lips, though she couldn't help but take a small pleasure in Sam's look of terror.
And he hadn't even met her brothers yet.
When she'd mentioned that her parents wanted to meet him, he'd worn this same look of panic. But he'd still accompanied her home to North Carolina for the weekend. Ainsley decided this had to be love; not many men could hold their ground under William Hayes' glare.
"Well, he is good-looking," Evelyn said. "You've always had good taste."
Ainsley rolled her eyes. Taking pity on Sam, she slipped her hand in his. "He's not a piece of meat, Mom. Anyway, Nate likes him."
William's eyebrows shot up. "Is that so?"
"So do the girls," Ainsley added. "Nicole, especially."
William gave an exaggerated sigh then extended his hand for Sam to shake. "Well, I suppose you can't be that bad if my little girl likes you so much."
Evelyn smiled and hooked her arm through Sam's as they headed into the house. Ainsley hung back, amused at the look on her mother's face. She knew her well enough to know that Evelyn Hayes was already planning grandchildren.
"So you really like this boy?" William asked.
"Yes, Daddy, I do."
"Do you love him?"
Ainsley nodded.
William smiled sadly and opened his arms. Ainsley hugged her father. "I'm going to lose you to him, aren't I?"
"Oh, Daddy, you'll never lose me."
"You know what I mean." William kissed her forehead the way he'd done countless times when she was a child. "Just know that if he ever breaks your heart, I'll kill him."
She laughed. "I still love you, you know."
Sam hadn't expected Ainsley's brothers to be so tall. William, Jr. and Robert were identical twins, a year older than Ainsley and as dark as she was fair. They sat opposite him at the dinner table, their expressions gradually changing from hostile to curious. Sam bravely held their gaze, refusing to be intimidated. After all, he did work for the President of the United States and counted 'Bartlet's Pitbull' as his best friend.
But these were Ainsley's brothers.
Sam sipped his drink, the bourbon a welcome relief to his suddenly dry mouth.
"So you're Sam," Billy said.
"Yes."
"And you're Ainsley's boyfriend," Robert said, his tone slightly cooler than Billy's.
Sam nodded.
The twins stared at him for a moment. Billy smiled. "Okay."
"But," Robert added, his expression serious. "I have a gun. So don't hurt her."
Sam choked on his drink and missed the look of amusement the twins shared. Just then Ainsley and Evelyn entered. Ainsley sat next to Sam and placed her hand on his thigh, giving him a reassuring smile. He made a mental note to ask her later if her brother really carried a gun.
William sat at the head of the table and the Hayes family bowed their heads. Sam, unused to sit-down dinners, copied. While William said grace, Sam couldn't help but silently echo the sentiment. He was blessed to be here with Ainsley, and he was thrilled to be sharing this part of her life, even if Robert still scared him a little.
"Amen," William said, and everyone looked up.
"Sam, honey, don't you want more?" Evelyn eyed his plate and added another spoonful of vegetables before Sam could protest. "Don't be shy."
"Um, thank you, ma'am."
"Call me Evelyn." She winked, then smiled slyly at her daughter. "'Ma'am' just sounds so old. Makes me feel like I should be a grandmother."
Sam felt his cheeks turn red. Next to him, Ainsley choked on her mouthful of food. Billy just laughed.
"Don't go giving him ideas now, Mom."
But, Sam thought as the meal resumed, he'd give just about anything for his children to call Evelyn 'Grandma'.
"I'm really not having an affair with Bonnie." Sam put his arm around Ainsley as they rocked gently on the porch swing.
"I know."
"And CJ's really not a man."
Ainsley laughed. "I know."
"Of course, when she's through with the guy who came up with the poll, he probably won't be a man either."
Ainsley shifted closer to Sam, putting her legs over his lap and leaning her head on his shoulder. She ran her hand down his chest and smiled appreciatively. "You, on the other hand, are very much a man."
He groaned. "You're evil."
"Sam," she drawled, "that's not a very nice thing to say to a girl."
He grabbed her wrist to still her hand's journey. "I am not making out with you on your parent's porch."
"Kiss me, Sam."
"You want me to die, don't you?" His lips brushed hers. "'Cause Robert's going to shoot me, if your dad doesn't do it first."
Ainsley slid off the swing. "Probably. And I'd like you in my life for a while still. So in the best interests of your health and my happiness, I'm going to bed. Good night, Sam."
As she opened the door, he muttered, "Evil."
A few minutes later, he decided there was no point in staying up now that Ainsley was asleep and returned inside. On his way to the guest bedroom, he passed William's study and was surprised to find the man still awake.
He knocked, though the door was open. "Good night, sir."
William looked up and smiled. "Have a seat, son."
Slightly apprehensive, Sam did as he was asked.
"I'm glad we've got a chance to talk."
Sam nodded.
"Do you love her?"
Sam didn't hesitate. "More than anything."
"More than your job? More than the presidency?"
"Yes."
William regarded Sam for a long moment. "Evelyn's parents didn't approve of me. My brother had a bad reputation and they thought I was just like him. Winning her heart wasn't easy. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like in D.C. A Republican and a Democrat. And not just any Republican and any Democrat. The voice of the Bartlet administration and the one of the Republican's brightest young lawyers/"
Sam shook his head. "There's more to us than that. When I'm with Ainsley, politics is the last thing on my mind. I don't care what her affiliation is or how prominent she is. She gives me a reason to leave the office at the end of each day. I could live without politics, I can't live without her."
William gave a pleased smile.
Sam wasn't done yet. He stood and took a step towards William. "At some point, I intend to ask your daughter to marry me, and I would like your blessing to do so."
William extended his arm and the two men shook hands. "Welcome to the family, son."
TBC
