The table was in an uncomfortable silence as they ate dinner, none of them daring to look up at someone else.
"How's Josh?" Ainsley finally asked.
"Fine." Sam muttered. "How's Alex?"
"He's good. Ryan, how long are you in town for?"
"I live here." he said.
"How long have you and Ainsley known each other?" Sam asked.
"We used to date." Ryan said. "Back in high school. So I'd say close to twenty-five years."
"Oh." Sam looked down at his plate and Ainsley squeezed his leg lightly under the table.
"So how did you two get into politics?" Ryan asked.
"I was a lawyer. Then when I was about to be made a partner in my firm, Josh Lyman came to me and asked me to campaign for John Hoynes. We ended up campaigning for President Bartlet and I was asked to be the Deputy Communications Director." Sam replied.
"What about you Ainsley?"
"I was asked to go on Capitol Beat and debate Sam." she smiled. "I wiped the floor with him and President Bartlet told the previous Chief of Staff Leo McGarry to hire me. I accepted the job and I was Associate White House Counsel."
"And you were the only Republican working in a White House full of Democrats right?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah. It was tough at first but," Ainsley smiled over at Sam, "but everyone warmed up to me."
"What do you do?" Sam asked.
"I'm the CEO of my father's old company. You remember it Ainsley don't you?"
"Yes." she nodded. "They were very successful."
"And still are." Ryan said. "So how did you decide that you wanted to be president?"
"Well," Sam chuckled slightly, "I guess I always wanted to be president. I ran for Congress in California in... what? 2004?"
Ainsley nodded.
"I won and then I went on to run for governor of California, which I won. Then I was talking to Josh and we decided that we had enough of the Republicans running the country, no offense, and decided that we wanted me to run for president. Josh said if I won he wanted to be Chief of Staff but I persuaded him to be my vice president. Josh was senator of Connecticut then. Now here we are." Sam said.
"And you want to get re-elected?"
"I'd like to but if I don't that's fine."
"Now," Ryan laughed, "How did you two get together?"
"After I got hired at the White House, I didn't have a good first day and some things happened that prompted Sam to fire two guys." Ainsley began, "The next day Sam asked me out to lunch after he got our friends to sing 'He is An Englishman' from the HMS Pinafore. I agreed."
"We got engaged six months later." Sam went on, staring at Ainsley, a loving look in his eyes. "It just felt right."
"I didn't want to wait to get married. I wanted to be with him the rest of my life. So two months later we were married." Ainsley smiled. "And then three months later Gracie gave us the shock of our life when we found out I was pregnant."
"Been together ever since." Sam finished, smiling over at Gracie. "Hand me that bowl Gracie."
She nodded and reached for it. As she did, she accidentally stepped on the cat's tail, making it screech. Gracie gave a squeal and jumped, the bowl flying out of her hands and landed in Ryan's lap. Ainsley clapped a hand over her mouth and Gracie's eyes went wide.
"Oh my God. I am so sorry." she apologized. "I didn't mean it. I'm a total klutz. Here,"
She handed Ryan a napkin but he swatted it away and lifted the bowl off his lap. Gravy stained his pants and Gracie bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"Well this was enough fun for one night." Ryan snapped, standing up. "Ainsley, I can't believe that you would settle for a guy like him. Mr. President," Ryan spat this out like he had something disgusting in his mouth, "pleasure meeting you. Emily, we'll talk soon."
"Good night Ryan." she said quietly. "Do you want something to take the stains out?"
"I'll handle it at home. Ainsley, I was hoping that we'd... speak tonight but... I would rather not see you anymore. Good bye."
He slammed the front door shut and Sam started shaking with laughter.
"Grace, that was uncalled for!" Emily scolded.
"I didn't mean it Grandma! I stepped on Bella's tail accidentally."
"Mom, it was just an accident." Ainsley said. "Gracie, go wash up."
She nodded and went upstairs.
"And you!" Emily snapped. "How can you just ignore him like that! He made time to come and see yo— I mean me... and you just were so rude!"
"He asked how we got together."
"He loves you Ainsley, after all these years."
"Well I don't love him. I love Sam." she said. "And he shouldn't have been here anyway. This is my house. You shouldn't invite people into my house. And talk about rude! If he could, I'm sure he would've leaned over this table and strangled Sam with his bare hands!"
"Oh-kay! Can we stop talking like I'm not here?" he asked.
"I'm going to leave." Emily said. "Obviously I am not wanted here."
"Mom you are. Just... don't bring my past back. That's not my life. Sam and Gracie are my life and always will be."
Emily ignored her daughter and grabbed a few things, then left the house.
----------TWW---------
"I'm glad you came down." Ainsley said, brushing her hair out.
"So am I." Sam said, walking back into their bedroom. "You got to admit Gracie pouring gravy on Ryan was pretty funny."
Ainsley smiled and nodded.
"He deserved it." she said. "He shouldn't have acted so nasty to you."
"Oh it wasn't cause I'm the president."
"I actually believe my mom. Ryan always said that he would marry me one day and he's not married now. I guess he held out hope that I still loved him and we'd sail away to some island and be happy together."
"Only boat you're sailing on is mine." Sam said. He leaned down and kissed the corner of Ainsley's mouth. "Did you mean what you said though?"
"About what?" she asked.
"About me always being in your life."
"Yes. Sam, you were right when you were talking. We got married because it felt right. It still feels right and it always will. Every couple fights."
"This one scared me though."
"I know. It scared me too but I knew that it wouldn't keep us apart." Ainsley said. "It's not like we got married and then that was it. We still have to work at our marriage."
"I know. I'm still the man you married. I still appreciate you. I'm willing to listen to you and not let my temper get in the way. And you know I'll be honest with you, I don't love you as much as when we got married."
"What?"
"I love you even more. I love you more everyday." Sam said, pulling Ainsley up to her feet. "I don't want to lose you or Gracie. I never had that growing up, the family that loved me. My father was off with his mistress and my mom was so worried about my dad it was like she didn't know I was there. I thought I found love when I met Lisa and I was hurt when she left me but if she didn't then I wouldn't have met you. I've been with a lot of girls but none of them made me feel the way you do."
Ainsley smiled and eyed the stereo in the corner.
"Sam..."
"Mmm?"
"Dance with me."
"There's no music."
"We have a stereo and CDs." Ainsley smiled. Sam turned red and walked over to the CD rack. He went through a few and smiled at Ainsley over his shoulder. He plucked a CD from its case then went over to the stereo. He put the CD on and went through the tracks until he got to the one he wanted. Ainsley smiled as she heard the song start up and Sam pulled her into his arms, holding her close to him.
The lonliness of nights alone
the search for strength to carry on
my every hope had seemed to die
my eyes had no more tears to cry
then like the sun shining from up above
you surrounded me with your endless love
and all things I couldn't see are now so clear to me
"Are you still mad at me?" Sam asked quietly. Ainsley sighed into his shoulder, wondering if she knew the answer. Then she thought back to dinner, the loving look in his eyes, how he just showed up begging for forgiveness...
"No." she whispered.
You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything
"I was a jerk."
"I just want to forget about it Sam."
"Okay." he murmured, kissing the top of Ainsley's head.
Now all my hopes and all my dreams
are suddenly reality
you've opened up my heart to feel
a kind of love that's truly real
a guiding light that'll never fade
there's not a thing in life that I would ever trade
for the love you give and wont let go
I hope you'll always know
You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything
You're the breath of life in me
the only one that sets me free
and you have made my soul complete
for all time (for all time)
Ainsley lifted her head off Sam's shoulder and looked at him. He smiled at her, the same boyish smile that he gave her when she first saw him on Capitol Beat, when she fell in love with him. Of course she didn't know it at the time but when Ainsley thought back, she realized that was when it had happened.
You are my everything (you are my everything)
Nothing your love won't bring (nothing your love won't bring)
My life is yours alone (alone)
The only love I've ever known (oh no, no)
Your spirit pulls me through (your spirit pulls me through)
When nothing else will do (when nothing else will do)
Every night I pray (oh, I pray)
On bended knee (on my knee)
That you will always be
be my everything
"When did you realize you loved me?" Ainsley asked, putting her head back down. Sam thought for a minute.
"When I followed you down to your office and the dead flowers were sitting on your desk from Brookline and Joyce." he replied. "You looked so upset and helpless and I just wanted to hold you and make everything go away, tell you everything was okay. Then I went and fired their cheap asses."
You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything
Every night I pray
down on bended knee
that you will always be
my everything
oh my everything
Sam tilted Ainsley's chin upwards and leaned down to kiss her when the phone rang.
"Get the phone." she mumbled. Sam shook his head and pressed his lips against hers.
"Ignore the phone."
"Sam, we just can't let it ring."
"Yes we can and I plan on letting it."
"It's going to get annoying."
Sam ignored Ainsley's protests and kissed her again. She gave in, smiling against his lips, and wrapped her arms around his neck as the answering machine finally kicked in.
"Ainsley, it's me, Ryan. I uh... I just wanted to let you know I think that you could've done better."
But neither Sam or Ainsley were paying attention.