Author's Note: This chapter was half-written before the untimely death of John Spencer. I felt it best to leave it as is and adjust the rest of the story according. Mr. Spencer created an amazing character. May he rest in peace.

Male Bonding

The night of the ninth came quickly and Sam and Josh hurried up the steps to Toby's door.

"Toby let us in," Josh called into the speaker box. After a moment of waiting Josh and Sam heard rustling and Toby opened the door.

"Hi," Josh said forcing himself through the threshold.

"Hey Toby," Sam said giving him a small smile. Toby couldn't decipher whether the smile was happy or sad and he took it as a sign of both.

"Hi Sam," Toby said extending his hand. "You're sure you can be seen here?"

Sam glanced at Toby's hand and brushed it away in order to give Toby a short, manly hug.

"It's good to see you," Sam said sizing him up.

"Thanks," Toby replied taken aback. "You didn't answer my question."

"Well to be honest I don't really give a damn who sees me here," Sam replied walking passed Toby and following Josh into the living room.

"You've got this place pretty well packed up," Josh said as Toby followed them into the room. "When do you leave?"

"The day after tomorrow," Toby replied. "It's amazing how being a felon turns you into a pariah in Washington and raises your stature in the higher education community."

Sam snickered. "Are you looking forward to it?" he asked.

"I guess," Toby replied.

"Come on, get your coat," Josh said.

"We can't go yet," Toby said.

"Why not?" Josh asked.

"We're waiting for someone," Toby said.

"Who are we waiting for?" Josh asked.

"Leo," Toby replied.

"Leo?" Josh repeated stunned. "Leo McGarry?"

"No, Leo Bernays, founder of modern public relations," Toby said sarcastically.

"Why did you invite Leo?" Josh asked uncomfortably.

"I suggested it," Sam piped up.

"What?" Josh said.

"Toby and I exchanged a few e-mails. Toby mentioned that Leo was back in town and I suggested we invite him," Sam replied succinctly.

"So you two thought it would be fun to ambush me," Josh stated rather than questioned.

"We're not ambushing you," Sam defended them. "It's time."

"How do you know what it's time for?" Josh practically shouted.

"He doesn't hate you Josh," Toby replied. "I've talked to him."

"So you've talked to him about me," Josh said starting to pace. "What the hell am I supposed to say to him? Sorry I wrecked your pristine election record? Sorry I single-handedly turned your years of impeccable civil service into a footnote about how you once ran for Vice President and lost?"

"I was thinking 'hey Leo, it's been too long,'" Leo said walking into the room from the den.

Toby, Sam and Josh all turned toward the sound of his voice. Josh just stood slack-jawed as if Leo wasn't really in the room.

"I probably should have mentioned that we had to wait because Leo was taking a phone call in the other room," Toby said looking down at the floor.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Leo asked Josh.

"Yeah," Josh said so quietly that it was almost a whisper.

"Will you give us a minute?" Leo asked Toby and Sam.

"We'll be in the kitchen," Toby said leading the way out.

"It's good to see you Sam," Leo said as they passed each other.

"You too," Sam smiled. "We'll catch up."

"We will," Leo nodded.

Leo shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Josh. For his part Josh looked like a little boy who about to be scolded. Seeing Leo made everything seem more real. When he visited CJ and Sam it had been so long since they'd seen each other that it seemed like old friends catching up on life. With Leo it seemed like old friends who ran into each other although they were both trying to avoid it. A tension hung in the air between them.

"What have you been up to?" Leo asked Josh as he made his way to the couch to have a seat.

"I've been in California," Josh said sitting across from Leo in a chair. "I was staying with Sam for a while."

"You running his campaign for governor?" Leo asked.

"No," Josh said seriously. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why?"

"I don't want Sam to lose," Josh said slightly patronizingly.

"He's not going to lose if you run his campaign," Leo informed him. "You can't take it so personally Josh."

"How can I not take it personally?" Josh countered.

"You took Santos as far as you could," Leo told him. "You got him where he needed to be and it was up to him to do the rest. No one could have done more for him. You picked him out of relative obscurity for Pete's sake."

"You did the same thing with President Bartlet. He was the third place contender for the nomination," Josh reasoned. "He was a little-known governor from New Hampshire and you got him elected twice."

"Santos wasn't exactly the front-runner for the Democratic nomination and you got that done. Besides I didn't do it alone Josh," Leo said slightly exasperated. "I put together a team. I plucked you from Hoynes, I got Mandy on board and Toby, but you guys did the rest."

"We didn't," Josh replied.

"Stop it," Leo said.

"I let you down," Josh said.

"Stop it Josh," Leo said more forcefully. "I knew going in that it would be a rough race. Did you honestly think I thought it was lock? It was something to do. Would I have liked to win? Who knows? Maybe I'm better off consulting. I definitely don't need another heart attack. You could have saved my life."

"I doubt that," Josh mumbled.

"I don't," Leo said. "Now let it go and let's go have some dinner."

"I let everyone down," Josh said quietly.

"You let a few people down," Leo admitted. "I'm not one of them. Neither is Donna, Jed, Toby, CJ or Sam. We all know you put your heart and soul into this campaign."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Leo said standing.

"For what it's worth, I really am sorry Leo," Josh said.

"Listen to me when I say this," Leo said looking him in the eyes. "It's fine. Don't worry about it. You need to get your confidence back. Sam's governor race could be the thing you need."

"No," Josh said.

"Josh," Leo started in on him.

"I'll make you a deal. When Sam runs for president I'll run his campaign."

"I'm holding you to that," Leo said.

"If Sam will have me, I'm his guy," Josh said.

"You're his guy," Leo nodded. "Enough of this. I'm starving. Toby, Sam, get in here."

"You guys okay?" Sam asked as entered the room.

"We're great," Leo nodded. "By the way, Josh is running your campaign for president when you run."

"I wouldn't even think of anyone else," Sam said. Josh and Sam shared a meaningful look and Josh knew that Sam meant what he said.

"Good," Leo nodded his approval. "Is anyone else starving?"

"I am," Sam agreed.

"I could eat," Toby said.

"Let's go," Josh said with a smile.

The men collected their coats and made their way out into the night. For the first time in years it felt like the fraternity they had assembled eight years earlier.

TBC