A/N: Yes, people, I am alive! I wrote this like nine minutes before I had to go to bed (while trying to study for a geometry test). So I apologize for all errors or OOC-ness in general. Um, well, this is on it's way to completion, guys. It makes me kind of sad, actually. Please review, and enjoy. And so much thanks to Leslie. Just for...being Leslie.
Ainsley awoke, warm and sated, to the smell of bacon and pancakes. She basked in the glow of the sun for a second, stretching. Finding the absence of another warm body beside her, she quickly dressed, stealing one of Sam's Princeton sweatshirts. She quickly washed and brushed her teeth before wandering out into the main section of the bus. Her nose was following the wafting scent of bacon and her ears were waiting for the characteristic sizzling. She wandered outside to find Sam and Josh chatting over their platefuls of food.
"Where'd you get the food?" she inquired. Sam looked up, and smirked.
"Morning to you too, sweetheart." She smirked back, and headed over to where they were seated. She watched as they resumed their previous conversation, quickly tying up the loose ends. Josh looked rather uncomfortable. She walked over and seated herself next to Sam. None too subtly, she reached over and stole a piece of his bacon. He halted his voiced protests as she bit into it.
And as sweetly as he had greeted her before, she said smoothly, "Affirmative Action, remember?"
"You're not a minority, honey." He reached for the remainder of his bacon.
She shook her head with a smile. "A Republican on a Democratic campaign? If that's not a minority…" Josh huffed out a laugh, before he got up and left.
Smiling, Ainsley called out to his retreating form. "Donna's at the park across the street." He paused in his step. Turning his head, he flashed her a grin, before shaking his head and continuing on his way. With their only distraction gone, Ainsley gave Sam a peck on the lips. He eyed her warily.
"Where's the rest of my kiss?"
She returned his stare. "Where's my food?" Reaching in his pocket, he tossed her a round object. She caught it, albeit clumsily, and she examined it closely. It was a ripe peach.
"Sam, I can't believe you. We're engaged, and you still don't know where I'm from! I hope I don't have to remind you once again that peaches are for Georgians and not North Carolineans."
He took the peach from her hand and held it against her lips. "You wanted food. You should eat." She smirked at him again, before taking a bite out of the sweet fruit. The nectar clung to her lips for a brief moment, before she licked them away. He was entranced for a second, but he resumed eating.
"Sam." He looked up. "When do you want to get married?" He shrugged. "How about a general season? Winter? Autumn? Spring? Summer?" He shrugged again. She took another bite of the peach. "Maybe this is why you can't pass anything in Congress. So indecisive."
"Or it could be that Congress just hates me." She smirked.
"I doubt it." He kissed her tenderly. She smiled.
"You're sweet."
"Literally? Or…?"
"I have a meeting with Josh and Toby about our campaign budget and sponsors and things like that."
"Are you going to listen and pay attention?"
"Probably not," he said, bringing a forkful of pancakes up to his mouth. "I'll probably sit there and pretend to listen, but rather think about a storyline for the first issue of my Pilgrim action-adventure series." She rolled her eyes.
"You're still thinking about that?"
"Hey, the Pilgrims had to have something going on, right? Between the Mayflower Compact, and Thanksgiving, and the slaughtering of Indians."
"I love your optimism."
"Off to practice my acting."
Sam got up and headed for the bus. Ainsley could see two retreating blurs. She guessed one was Donna, and the other was Josh. Well, that could be a good opportunity to sit with Donna and talk to her about the wedding. She wanted Donna to be her maid-of-honor, and she wanted CJ to be a bridesmaid. She at least knew that much. She stood, about to voice a question to Sam, when he inexplicably paused and turned. "Yes, you can have my pancakes." She grinned, and sat down, waiting for Donna.
Donna walked up to the bus, and watched as Josh entered the bus. She sat down next to Ainsley on the ground. "Pancakes?"
"You have some of Josh's?" Donna nodded. "Hey, Donna, I wanted to talk to you about something, and I wanted to see how receptive you are to the idea."
The blonde nodded her head, pondering something for a second. "Okay."
"It's about the wedding."
Donna's head turned to face the bus, and then, back to face Ainsley. "Shouldn't Sam be here then, too?"
"It concerns the bridal party, so he doesn't need to be involved, really. Would you like to be my maid-of-honor?" Donna released a shaky breath.
"I'd be honored." She wrapped her arms around the Southern woman, embracing her. "Is Josh going to be the best man?"
Ainsley tried desperately to prevent herself from smiling. Her efforts were valiant, but unable to prevent the corners of her mouth from turning up. "I suppose so. Sam and Josh have known each other for a long time, right?" Donna shrugged.
"I think so."
The door opened then and Sam headed towards Ainsley. He glanced at the plate in her lap. "You ate it all?" She grinned.
"What'd you expect?" He shrugged, quickly clasping her hand in his, and rushing to the park across the street. The trees were green, with lovely flowers of pink and purple, and the breeze seemed to cause their branches to sway in, in a non-intimidating manner. It was almost as if they were embracing them, and shielding them from the hatred of the world. This was their moment. The trees were protecting their shared solitude.
"October, when the tree leaves are orange, red, and gold, in a cathedral that reminds me of classic English literature." She blinked a few times, confused. Then, it dawned on her. "With you, and me, and all of the people we know. Or want to know, at least."
She smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You writers. Classic English literature?" He rolled his eyes. "You thought about that when you were in the meeting?"
"The Pilgrims in my head kept getting married instead of saving the colony from…y'know, evil locusts or something."
"I didn't think there were evil locusts in New England." He pressed his lips insistently against hers, stealing her breath, and her soul.
"Never say Sam Seaborn didn't know what he wanted."
She took his hand in hers and began to head towards the bus. She sighted Josh jogging over. He called out to them. "I was just about to get you. The bus is about to leave. And we couldn't exactly leave our presidential candidate behind."
"You know, Josh, what happened the time you got left behind by the motorcade?" His lips set in an angry position.
"Let's not get into that." Sam laughed and they boarded the bus. He accompanied Ainsley to their room. She sat, and looked at him.
"You want to get married in October." He nodded. "And you want the leaves to be red, orange, and gold." He nodded again. "In a cathedral that makes you think of English literature."
"Classic English literature."
She corrected her faux pas, and resumed. "Where? New England? The South?"
"Maybe Virginia."
She brought her hand up to his cheek. "Is this really happening, Sam?"
"It is."
He kissed her hand, and she looked at him. "Kiss me, Sam."
