Title: Quite A Night (1/2)

By: adoreleo

Rating: Mature

Spoilers: Anything up to and including 2162 Votes.

Disclaimer: The characters are from the NBC, WB, TV show The West Wing; they do
not belong to me.

Beta and additional suggestions: Lynn

Author's Notes: Hi, yes it's been a while since I've written any Leo fan fiction. I took some time off after writing several huge stories in a row. This short story wasn't even the one I started working on, but it popped into my head and demanded to be written. It was completed in about three short settings. I hope you enjoy it. Now, I will go back to working on my other story (Everyone Notices – which is around 90 pages so far).

Feedback: Is greatly appreciated.

Summary: The last night of the Democratic Convention holds a few surprises for more than just Leo.

Quite A Night – Part 1

"Hello," the sleepy voice answers.

"Hey, Sweetie," Leo says, as he limps towards his room, down the corridor of the Hilton Hotel, that's adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center. He's been on his feet since six o'clock this morning, and it's taken a toll on his bad leg.

"Leo?"

"I'm sorry, were ya sleeping." He squints at his watch and discovers it's ten o'clock. He has not quite an hour before he has to be back for the President's closing speech of the Democratic Convention.

"Yeah, it's," she props on one arm, up in bed, and looks at the alarm clock on the night stand, "one o'clock in the morning, here. I went to bed after you called earlier tonight. Is everything okay? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he sighs and shakes his head, at the worry in her voice, as he opens the door to his hotel room and heads for the small refrigerator. "Can't a guy even call his pregnant girlfriend?"

"Leo," she whines. "What's gotten into you?" Her voice is full of concern. "Someone could overhear you," she whispers, as she cups her hand over the receiver.

"I'm in my hotel room, Sweetie," he explains, holding the phone between his shoulder and chin, while unscrewing the cap from the water bottle. "And… I might add that there's no need to whisper, unless there's someone there with you." He takes a long drink of water as pictures her looking around the room.

"Leo, you know there's no one here but me," she scolds, after quickly surveying the room on reflex.

"Anyway, I don't care if someone overhears us." He sets down the bottle of water on the coffee table, draws a tired breath, and rubs his face. He's not used to working these long hours again… ever since his heart attack he's been scrutinized closely for old habits. He's surprised that no one's been picking on him recently about his long hours. But then again, Abbey, Mallory, Margaret, and CJ have all been in DC for most of the convention. Abbey and CJ just arrived yesterday and he's been successful at avoiding them for the most part.

"I know you don't…" She pauses to stifle a yawn. "You know the press is going to have a field day with this."

"It's not going to matter to the press… when they find out." He drops down on the couch and has to restrain himself from groaning. They've had this conversation several times before, but he thinks there may be a different outcome this time. "It's still going to be a story. 'A torrid affair involving members of the Presidential staff.'" He dramatizes a little as he rolls his eyes.

"Probably, but I still think that it's best to wait until we leave the White House, before we announce that you're the father of my child and that we're getting married in January."

"That might be a long wait," he informs her.

"Leo, I know that six months seems like a long time, but it's really not. The baby will only be three months old when we get married and since you stay here every night anyway, you won't miss out anything," she predicts, as she lies back in bed and visualizes the birth of their child and their wedding in her head.

"Well, if we wait until I'm through working for the President, it could be four to eight years before we get married. I'd really like to be able to claim the baby as mine before he or she starts school," Leo says with a crooked grin on his face. He can't wait to be a father again. Having a baby wasn't even something they had discussed, but both of them couldn't be happier.

"Four to eight years? Leo, you're not making any sense."

"Well, Sweetie," Leo lays the charm on thick. "You can blame Josh for that."

"I knew I should have come out there, too," she shakes her head and purses her lips. "Every time you guys go to California, something happens. What has Josh done, now?"

"Well… it was his idea."

"What idea?" She demands, as she starts to lose her patience with him.

"Are you sitting down?"

"No, I'm still in bed. Now damnit Leo, just what the Hell is going on out there?" She huffs. Her patience has now gone by the wayside.

"I don't think that's a very appropriate tone to be using with the Democratic Party's nominee for… Vice President," he smirks.

"What!" She shrieks, as she drops the phone.

Leo laughs when he hears the phone hit the floor. "Sweetie, are you there? Are you okay?" He asks, after he hears some rustling and grunting. He imagines her eight-month pregnant body struggling to reach for the phone and wishes he were there to help her.

"Leo, did you say… Vice President?"

"Yeah, I did," Leo boldly smiles. "Can you believe that they asked me to join the ticket?" He says in a surprised voice. He never dreamed this would happen to him, now.

"Oh Leo, I'm so proud of you. You deserve this chance more than anyone. You'll make a great Vice President." Her joy is short lived as her mind races, and she quickly thinks of some of the obstacles that Leo will have to face. "But… what about…"

"Don't worry about it," quickly rolls from his mouth. "I've already talked with the Congressman and told him about us… and our baby."

"What did he say?"

"Well… he thinks that I need to make an honest woman out of ya and I… couldn't agree more."

"But…"

"Listen… I told him that I wouldn't accept if you didn't agree to marry me right away, 'cause I'm not waiting four to eight years. If you don't want to get married now, I'll decline the offer and we'll get married this coming January like we planned. I'm not going to do this without you or if you don't want me to do it. You and the baby are more important to me than any job. So… Whatdaya think?"

"When do you need an answer?"

Leo checks his watch, "You have some time."

"How much time, Leo?" She knows it can't be very long.

"Five minutes."

"You don't give a girl much time." She brushes her bangs from her eyes as she considers her answer.

"Yeah, sorry."

"What does the President think?"

"He said he'd kick my ass around the schoolyard if I didn't accept," Leo smiles.

"Well," she laughs softly. "We can't have that. So, I guess we should hold off looking for a house for the time being, 'cause we could be residing at the Naval Observatory for the next four to eight years, Mr. Democratic Candidate for Vice President of the United States."

"I can't wait to get home and announce to the world that we're getting married and that the baby is mine."

"Yeah, it's going to surprise a few people, I'm sure."

"Probably, but ya know… it's all your fault." He implies with a small laugh.

"How is this all my fault?" She playfully whines.

"You seduced me, when I was still recovering and not thinking straight." He smiles, as his body starts to ache for her touch. This has been the longest they have been apart, since it all began.

"Hey… if I remember correctly, you were the one who keep fabricating reasons for me to stop over to your hotel at night, after work." Her body starts to yearn for his touch.

"Maybe, but you didn't seem to mind at the time," he murmurs in a deep voice. He knows this voice just drives her crazy.

"Nope, I didn't. I just wanted to be near you." She pauses as she takes a breath. His intonation isn't helping her raging hormones right now. "I just wish I was next to you right now."

"I know the feeling," Leo mutters, as he tries to fight his growing desire. "Hey, I gotta go. I need to go and tell the Congressman that I'm … that we're getting married."

"Okay… and when you see Josh, you know what you can give him from me," she smirks.

"Yeah, I think I can handle that," he knowingly grins. "Sweetie, are ya going to stay up? 'Cause… the President is going to present us to the Convention, in less than an hour."

"Yeah, I'll be watching." Her voice is full of pride.

"I wish you were here by my side." Leo's voice softens. He wants to share this important moment with her. She's been a huge part of his success. She's always been there for him over the years. He just didn't see what was right in front of him until his heart attack woke him up. Now, he can't imagine his life without her and their unborn child.

"Me, too," she whispers.

"I'll be thinking of you when I'm up there." He pauses, "I'll be home tomorrow. I love you, Margaret."

"I love you too, Leo. Bye," as she snuggles down into the bed, watching the television, awaiting the President's announcement to the public and a chance to see a glimpse of her man.

"Bye." Leo slowly closes his cell phone and then heads off to Congressman Santos' suite.

----------

"Hey, Leo," Josh greets his mentor with a boyish smile. He's so happy that his dream of Leo being Vice President may finally become a reality. This is the third time he tried to get him to take that position. "Have you made up your mind yet? The Congressman said that you needed to make a phone call before you could give him an answer. Did ya call Mallory? What did she say? Was she excited?" Josh is almost bouncing with joy.

Leo promptly strides over to Josh and slaps him up the side of the head, "That's… from Margaret."

"Hey what did I do?" Josh asks with a puzzled look on his face, as he rubs the spot that Leo slapped him. "Did I miss Total Crackpot Day or something?" He smart-mouths.

"No, but she does have to move her wedding day up by almost six months… because of you."

"I didn't know she was getting married. I didn't know she was even dating anyone." Josh smiles and then quickly frowns. "Why is it my fault she has to change her plans?"

"Cause, she can't campaign for me, if she isn't married." Leo crosses his arms and stares at Josh, pretending to be aggravated.

"Leo," Josh gripes. "Did you… tell her she had to get married to be able to campaign for you?"

"Yeah." He says in an even tone.

"That seems really extreme and… I'm pretty sure that it's… illegal, too. I'm sure the Congressman doesn't mind Margaret not being married. Leo, I know she's pregnant but…"

"The Congressman," Leo states slowly. "Is the one who… suggested it." Leo forces his lips tighter, fighting the urge to smile.

"You're kidding," Josh squeals.

"Nope. It makes perfect sense to me."

"It does?" Josh is taken aback by Leo's and the Congressman's provincial way of thinking.

"Yeah. If Margaret is going to be campaigning for her… husband, then she had better get married first."

"But I thought you… were going to accept…" Josh's face contorts as he thinks about what Leo has just implied.

Leo smiles as it finally sinks into Josh's thick skull.

"Margaret's going to marry you?"

"Yeah."

"But… she's… pregnant." Josh squeals as he states the obvious.

"I know that," Leo bobs his head. "I was there when it happened," he says, very matter of factly.

"That would mean…"

"Yes, Josh. I'm the father of Margaret's baby."

"How? When? I mean you… had a heart attack." Josh stutters.

"Josh, if ya don't know how it happened, well… I'm not going to be the one who explains it to ya. As for when it happened, that's none of your business and yes... I had a heart attack. That's how it all began."

"But Leo, should you… umm be… you know?"

"Josh, have you forgotten that… you've had major heart surgery, too. So, does that mean all those rumors I heard about you and Amy were… false." He smiles.

"No," Josh shyly shakes his head and turns red.

"Okay, then."

"So, you're marrying Margaret?" Josh smiles, as he runs a hand through his unruly mop of hair.

"Yeah."

"You're going to be a father again at age…"

"Yeah," Leo interrupts. "And watch that age crap."

"And you're going to run for Vice President?"

"Yeah."

"Congratulations Leo, on all counts," Josh smiles.

"Thanks."

"Wow, you've had quite a night," Josh remarks, as he extends his hand.

Leo warmly shakes Josh's hand and then pulls his surrogate son into a hug. "You have too, Kid." After a few seconds, Leo releases Josh, takes a step back, and then puts his hands on Josh's shoulders, "Your Dad… would be so proud of you," Leo's voice cracks. "I know I am."

A somber Josh nods his head, "Thanks, Leo. That means a lot to me."

Leo drops his hands, shoves them in his pockets and smiles.

Josh isn't sure what to say next, but finally breaks the silence. "So, you and Margaret."

"Yeah."

"The Congressman knows," Josh states.

Leo nods his head.

"Does Mallory?"

"She knows about Margaret and me, but the Vice President thing… will definitely be a shock."

"Yeah, I bet," Josh smiles. "So you and your assistant."

"Josh, will you get over it," Leo groans. "And technically, she was no longer working for me when this started."

"Does anyone else know?"

"The President and Abbey."

"Yeah, I figured you would have told them." Josh pauses, shaking his head. "I have to tell you, I never suspected."

"You weren't supposed to. Margaret wanted to wait to announce it to the public until right before we got married in January. We were going to tell family and friends after the election."

"Why wait to announce it?"

"She was worried about how the press would handle it."

"But, what about now?"

"Well… after I informed her it could be four to eight year wait before we could get married, she finally came to her senses. Although, I'm worried how this and other things from my past will effect the campaign, but the Congressman wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Leo, it'll be fine. Neither one of you are married. You're both consenting adults. She wasn't working for you. The only thing that could be a problem is if… the baby was conceived at the White House." He jokes.

Leo gives him an impish grin.

"Leo! You're got to be kidding me. What were you two thinking? If this ever gets out that it happened in the…" Josh rattles off quickly, before Leo has a chance to interrupt him.

"Josh, calm down," Leo laughs. "Do the math. I wasn't even back to work yet, when it happened."

"Oh, God Leo, you scared me," Josh smiles broadly. He's so happy to see Leo acting like his old self and joking around.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Josh mimics one of Leo's favorite phrases.

"Seems to me I've heard that… somewhere else before." Leo grins.

"You better get in there and tell him that you're accepting." Josh motions towards the Congressman's hotel room.

"Yeah." Leo starts for the door.

"And Leo…"

"Yeah." Leo stops and turns.

"Congratulations again but… you'd better call Mallory." Josh reminds him. "She has quite a temper. She must get that from her fath…"

"Right," Leo cuts him off, as he pretends he's going to slap Josh upside the head again.

"Hey," Josh laughs, as he ducks away.

Leo smiles, drops his hand to his side, and becomes serious, "Josh, thanks for… pushing for me as… Vice President. You didn't have to."

"Yes, I did and you're more than welcome, Leo. I'm just glad you finally agreed this time."

"Yeah," Leo says, as he walks over to the door, knocks, and then disappears inside after it opens.

TBC in Part 2