"Mhmm... I... oh God." Sarah sunk into the couch as the door flung open, Sam and Ainsley stumbling back into his apartment, their lips locked together. "Mom, I gotta go. Sam and his girlfriend are about ready to screw each other."
Sam tripped over his briefcase and landed on the floor on his ass. Sarah smirked and tossed the phone onto the couch.
"It wasn't Mom so don't worry." she said.
"I hate when you do that." Sam muttered.
"I know." Sarah said cheerfully. "That's why I do it. Hi Ainsley."
"Hello."
"So how long have you two been dating anyway?"
"None of your business." Sam said. "Go in your room."
"Sam!" Ainsley whacked him on the arm lightly. "Don't be mean to her."
"He's always mean to me." Sarah said. "Ever since we were kids."
"You're such a liar." Sam said. "You should be happy I'm letting you stay here. Who was on the phone?"
"My boyfriend Eric."
"Why can't you live with him?"
"Because I wanted to see my big brother!"
"What a load of garbage."
"Is he always this nasty?" Sarah asked, looking at Ainsley.
"Why are you so annoying?" Sam asked.
"It's my goal in life to annoy as many people as possible."
"She's funny. I like her." Ainsley said.
"You didn't live with her for six years." Sam said.
"What's for dinner? I'm hungry." Sarah whined.
"We already ate dinner."
"And you came back here to finish up?"
"Go away."
"You want some alone time?"
"Sarah, I'm about two seconds away from calling Mom."
"And then I'll tell her about your little fling."
"It's not a fling." Sam snapped. "Go to a bar or something. Wait no, don't. I don't want to have to be called at three in the morning to bail you out of jail."
"You used to be fun Sam."
"I still am."
"Nuhuh." Sarah disappeared down the hallway and Sam heard the guest room door close.
"I'm sorry about her." he said, turning to Ainsley, who had an amused look on her face.
"Oh don't worry about it. I have a younger brother and an older sister. How old is she?"
"Twenty."
"Alex is twenty-four and Casey is thirty. Maybe you are a little hard on her. I mean, there's what? Twelve years between you guys?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. There's three years between me and Alex so it's normal for me to fight with him. Why can't you be the bigger person?"
"I try. I'm not mean. I just want what's best for her."
"Ah."
"Yeah."
"I should probably go home." Ainsley said quietly.
"Oh." Sam looked a little deflated and Ainsley gave him a smile.
"It's just cause she's here."
"I could kick her out."
"Or you could come to my place."
"She'll probably burn my apartment down." Sam said. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay." Ainsley leaned up and kissed Sam softly. "Maybe we'll get lunch tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Bye."
Sam kissed Ainsley once more and sighed against her lips. She pulled away and gave him a questioning look.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just... nothing. I'll see you in the morning."
"You sure?"
"I'm just happy."
Ainsley smiled and Sam walked her to the door.
"Ainse?"
"Yeah?" she turned and looked at Sam expectantly.
"Are... are you happy?"
"Yeah." she nodded. "I like being with you Sam."
She leaned up and kissed him quickly.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
--------------------TWW-----------------
Sam sat at his desk a month later and tapped a pen against his pad.
"You got a minute?"
He looked up and saw Josh standing there.
"Yeah, come in. Close the door."
Josh nodded and shut the door, then sat down.
"You wanted to talk." he said.
"Yeah. I... I'm dating Ainsley."
"I know."
"How?"
"I can tell."
"Do you think anyone else can?"
"Probably not. How long has this been going on? Wait, let me guess. About a month."
"You're good."
"You've been a different man." Josh said. "So what's the problem then?"
"Sarah knows."
"Ah."
"She's holding it over my head."
"That could be a problem."
"I don't know what I'm more worried about. Her leaking it to my mother or to the press."
"The press... well CJ may kill you if another story about you gets out."
"My mother will also kill me when she hears I have a girlfriend. But then again she may wait until we're married and give her a grandchild."
Josh raised an eyebrow.
"Not saying Ainsley and I will get married." Sam added quickly. "I don't know if I could live with her for the rest of my life."
"Yeah. You and a Republican. Every night in that house would be like Survivor."
"Yeah right." Sam looked up as Bonnie opened the door.
"The President said he's ready for you." she said. Sam nodded and grabbed a folder off his desk.
"What's this about?" Josh asked.
"Galileo V." Sam replied. "I'll see you later."
He exited his office and headed down to the Oval Office.
"Good afternoon Mr. President." he greeted.
"Hey Sam. Sit down." Jed pointed to one of the couches and Sam sat down. They started talking about the speech and Jed said Sam could leave.
"Uh... could I ask you something?" he asked, not moving off the couch.
"Yeah. Of course. What's on your mind?"
"How uh... how... actually when did you know that you loved your wife?"
"Ah... we had been together about a year." Jed said. "Why?"
"Is... do you think it's possible to fall in love with someone only after a month of dating them?"
"Who did you fall in love with?"
"Hypothetically speaking of course." Sam added.
"Well... sure I suppose you can. If it's meant to be I'm sure you could. Why?"
"I was just wondering."
"CJ told me you were coming to the Kennedy Center tonight."
"Yes."
"Fantastic."
--------------------TWW-----------------
(Changed Galileo up a bit)
"So Sam was at the Kennedy Center last night and he was kissing Mallory." CJ was talking to Donna as Ainsley walked up. "Which I find remarkable, seeing as Mallory is dating some hockey player apparently."
"What was Sam doing?" Ainsley asked.
"Oh hey Ainsley. Sam was kissing Mallory, Leo's daughter." Donna said.
"Yay. Something more to tease him about." Ainsley tried to sound happy but really she wasn't. She felt betrayed, hurt, and wanted to cry. Yes they had only been dating a month but Ainsley thought they had bonded, a lot.
"Yeah." CJ laughed. "I'm gonna kill him if it makes the papers."
"Are we going to lunch?" Donna asked, looking at Ainsley.
"Yeah. You want to come CJ?"
"I have a press briefing. I'll see you guys later."
The women went their separate ways, CJ heading to the Press Room and Donna and Ainsley heading to the Mess. When they got on the lunch line, they bumped into Sam and Josh.
"Hey guys." Donna smiled. "So Sam, I heard you got a little action last night."
"Huh?"
"You and Mallory."
Sam glanced at Ainsley and shrugged.
"It wasn't a big deal." he said, turning to the food. He ordered a club sandwich and felt Ainsley staring at him. "Ainsley, I need you to do me a favor."
"Come down to my office around three. I'm free then." she said quietly.
"Thanks."
-----------------------TWW------------------
Sam knocked on Ainsley's door and she didn't look up.
"Ainse..."
"Hi Sam." she said flatly, still not looking up.
"It's not what you think."
"I think it's exactly what I think."
"It's not sweetie. God Ainse..." Sam stared at the chair in front of him and pointed at it. "Can I sit?"
"Do you know how much this hurts right now?" Ainsley asked, looking up at him. "I... I thought... I thought we had something."
"And we do. I didn't kiss her. She kissed me. She was a little tipsy. Beside—"
"I love you and you just... you think that you can use me whenever you want!"
"Okay, let's... let's take this back a minute."
"No. Get out Sam."
"You didn't let me finish." he said.
"I'm too upset to talk to you."
"No. You have to listen to me."
"Get out Sam or I'll call security."
He sighed and leaned against the doorway.
"CJ exaggerated. She kissed me but I pulled away from her, fast. That little stunt was all I needed to know that I don't want to be with someone else. I want you and only you."
Ainsley stared down at her desk, tears trailing down her cheeks. Sam felt his heart sink. If there was anything he hated, it was seeing a woman cry, especially the woman he loved.
"Oh Ainsley..." he moved back into the room and knelt down next to her. She turned in her chair and Sam wiped the tears off her cheeks. "You love me?"
"Yeah." she whispered.
"I love you too."
"You do?"
"More than anything. I wasn't really sure at first. I even talked to the President about how you know when you fall in love."
Ainsley giggled and stroked Sam's face softly, seeing him turn red as he said the previous statement.
"I didn't want to tell you. I thought you'd think we were moving too fast."
"No." Ainsley shook her head. "She doesn't mean anything?"
"Not one thing." Sam promised. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I probably overreacted."
"No. You had every right to get upset." Sam pulled Ainsley down and kissed her. "I do love you. I was about 95 percent sure and then when she kissed me I knew. I knew that you were it. You're for me. And... I know it sounds like I'm proposing..."
"Please tell me you're not."
"I'm not. We haven't been going out long enough. But I can see us together..."
"Me too. But one day you will propose?"
"If I feel like it." Sam grinned.