Author's note: I still don't own the characters or the show. Reviews are appreciated and encouraged.

A week before the end of President Bartlet's last day in office CJ received a package.

"Margaret," she yelled through the open door between their desks. "What is this?"

"It came from Sam," Margaret said. "He wanted you to call him when you opened it."

"Sam Seaborn?"

"Yes," Margaret affirmed.

"Would you get him on the phone for me?" CJ asked.

"Sure," Margaret said not moving.

"Could you do that now?" CJ asked when she realized Margaret hadn't moved.

"I was sort of wondering what was in the box," Margaret said.

"I'm sort of wondering that myself," CJ said.

"I was really light and it didn't seem fragile," Margaret pointed out.

"It didn't seem fragile?"

"When I shook it, it didn't seem fragile."

"You shook it?"

"Well I was curious," Margaret replied.

"So you shook a potentially fragile package addressed to me because you wanted to know what was in it?" CJ asked.

"Well when you put it that way it seems kind of worse than what it actually was," Margaret started to explain.

"Margaret," CJ cut her off. "Just get Sam on the phone."

"Right," Margaret said leaving the office quickly.

CJ removed a letter opener from her desk drawer and started to slice the tape that kept the box shut. She opened the box flaps and found a tattered Notre Dame cap lying there. She let a large grin cross her lips and Margaret yelled, "Sam is on line one."

"Sam Seaborn as I live and breath," CJ said. "I get the cap?"

"You get the cap," Sam replied with a smile on his face and in his tone.

"If only it didn't have that stupid leprechaun on it," CJ joked.

"I thought of sending you a Berkeley cap, but it wouldn't have been the same," Same replied.

"No it certainly wouldn't," CJ grinned. "You know, when we all decided that this was the trophy all those years ago it seemed kind of stupid, but now…"

"It seems fitting," Sam finished for her.

"Yeah it really does," CJ replied running her free hand over the bill of the battered hat.

It was years ago that the team assembled during the Bartlet for America campaign. In those days the president's obsession with Notre Dame was far greater than it was today. On weekend trips he wore his Norte Dame hat for luck. The Notre Dame hat had become an inside joke among senior staff due to its torn and tattered nature. Josh jokingly told CJ to never let Bartlet be photographed in the atrocity and everyone agreed, although they never told the president. He was never aware of the staff's distain for the article and continued to happily wear the cap in moments of casual dress.

After one tedious road trip through Iowa the president, then governor of New Hampshire, assembled the senior staff and thanked them for all their hard work. He singled out Toby for special recognition for having not one, but two speeches he'd written during the campaign, featured on a special addition of Capital Beat. As a token of his appreciation he presented Toby with a special gift.

"Now I know you've all been talking about a certain article of clothing that I have," Jed told them. "I know you've all admired it from afar, but as a token of my appreciation to Toby for his excellent work this week, I want to give him my Norte Dame hat. This hat, which has been my lucky hat, for almost a decade, is now going to bestow its fortitude upon Toby Ziegler."

Jed happily presented Toby with the hat as the rest of them tried to stifle their laughter.

"Oh sir, you really don't have to," Toby said in his trademark horrified tone.

"No, no Toby, I insist," Jed said forcing it into his hand. "Go on, put it on. I'm sure the rest of the group would like to see it."

"Do I have to sir?" Toby asked.

"I, for one, would love to see it," Sam spoke up between gasps for air.

"Oh me too," Josh said grinning from ear to ear.

CJ could remember how unhappy and irritated Toby looked as he slipped the ancient hat onto his head. She burst out laughing uncontrollably even as he shot her looks of death from across the room.

"CJ what is so funny?" Jed asked.

"Nothing sir," she gasped.

Soon Josh, Sam and Leo erupted into the same fit of laughter and it was up to Leo to inform Jed of why the situation was so funny. It was years ago, but the memory was still fresh in CJ's mind, and obviously Sam's as well.

After Toby's original initiation to the hat the staff took it upon themselves to give each other hat when they thought they had accomplished something extraordinary. Toby passed the hat to Josh after he convinced Hoynes to become the Vice Presidential candidate. Josh passed it on to Sam after the inaugural speech and so on and so on. What had started as a joke had become an award between friends. Sam was the last one to receive the hat when he went to California to run in the election. Everyone had forgotten about it until now.

"So why me?" CJ asked. "What have I done to deserve the hat?"

"You made it to the end," Sam said simply.

"Yeah," CJ replied with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I guess I did."

"And you've done a hell of a job," Sam said. "Josh and I talked about it and it only seemed right that end up with the hat."

"Thanks," CJ said touched. "So you've spoken to Josh?"

"He's actually out here with me right now," Sam said.

"Well he certainly is the Happy Wanderer," CJ commented. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah," Sam said. "He's better than he was. I don't know what you said to him, but whatever it was it helped."

"Good," CJ said tossing the hat aside on her desk. "And how are you doing? It's been ages since we talked."

"I'm great," Sam said. "I've been asked to run for governor."

"Of California?"

"No, of Manitoba. My mom was half Canadian," Sam deadpanned.

"You're not funny," CJ remarked.

"I happen to think I'm fairly witty," Sam replied.

"You would," CJ said. "But seriously that is wonderful news Sam. I've been so busy that I've been out of the DNC loop."

"Thanks," Sam replied. "Josh is already telling me what I have to do to win and he's only been here two days."

"Well listen to him," CJ said. "He knows what he's doing. Don't tell him I said that though."

"Your secret is safe with me," Sam replied. "So what are you up to next? Are you coming back to California?"

"I'm not really sure," CJ replied. "It's going to sound sad, but I've almost gotten used to the snow. I don't think I can imagine winter without it."

"You've become an East Coast girl again Claudia Jean," Sam teased her.

"I supposed I have," she smiled. "I'll send you a picture of me wearing the hat."

"And nothing else?" Sam asked mischievously.

"You're a sick man Spanky," she replied. "Governors can't think like that."

"Well they can, they just have to be sure they trust who they're talking to," Sam countered.

"Point taken. Thanks for the hat," CJ said happily.

"You're welcome," Sam said. "Don't try to wash it though. I think there might be one thread holding the whole thing together."

"Got it," CJ said. "Take care of yourself and Josh."

"I will," Sam promised. "I'll talk to you soon CJ."

"I hope so," CJ replied feeling nostalgic once again. "Bye."

"Bye," he replied.

CJ hung up the phone as the president walked into her office. "CJ I was looking over the language on the education bill and I don't like what I'm seeing in this paragraph," Jed said without looking up.

CJ quickly stood and walked toward the president. "Which paragraph sir?"

"The third one," he replied. "I thought Will talked to Meadows about that already?"

"He did sir," CJ said taking the page from the president and scanning it. Jed noticed that CJ had already packed up a good portion of her office and he scanned her desk, his eye resting on his old hat.

"Is that my old hat?" Jed said lifting the hat up off the desk to examine it.

"Yes, it is sir," CJ replied. "Sam sent it to me."

"You won?" Jed asked.

"Won sir?" CJ repeated.

"Come on, Leo told me all about it. This hat has been changing hands between you guys for a while now. What did you do to win it?"

"I'm still here sir," CJ replied feeling sad as she said it.

"Oh," Jed replied nodding. "I see. My lucky hat is now the equivalent of combat pay."

He said it jokingly, but there was a tone in his voice that made CJ wonder if he meant it. She knew he wanted to be so much more than he was in his second term. She knew he would wear the regret like a battle wound for the rest of his life as much as he would never admit it.

"Not at all Mr. President," CJ replied. "In case you've forgotten I'm not here for the money."

"No, you're certainly not," Jed replied with a smirk. "How much did you make in California?"

"Five-hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year sir."

"Yes," Jed nodded. "It certainly wasn't the money that kept you here. So, I ask, why are you here CJ? You certainly didn't always agree with what we were doing. I didn't even always agree with what we were doing here. What stopped you from leaving?"

"I serve at the pleasure of the president," CJ replied. "I didn't always believe in what we were doing, but I've always believed in you."

Jed looked at her for a moment and realized just how much CJ had become like family to him. He had never told anyone, but there were a few times over the course of the last eight years when he'd hear people say he had three daughters and he had to remind himself that they were right. He had three daughters, not four, though CJ was like one of his own, especially after the loss of her own father.

"You really did, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes sir. I still do," she replied.

"You're a good girl," he replied as if he were lost in thought for a moment. "Have Will go back to Meadows on that language will you?"

"Yes sir," CJ replied.

The president started to walk out of the room when he turned and said, "It looks like Leo won the bet after all."

"Sir?" CJ asked puzzled.

"He said you'd end up with the hat," he told her. "At the very end of the administration he said it would be you."

"Who did you pick sir?" CJ wondered.

"I picked Josh," he said. "But, I'm glad it was you. You deserve it CJ."

"Thank you sir," she said touched. "I'll have Will stop by after he talks to Meadows."

"Thank you," he said as he left the room.

"Thank you sir," she said again. She stole a glance at the beaten hat on her desk and smiled as she went to find Will.

TBC