A/N: Spoilers for season 7 but they're taking place now...
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Sam and Ainsley listened as Gracie explained how she had been feeling to Dr. Friedman. Sam watched Ainsley's face during the whole time and saw the pained expression on her face. He went to open his mouth but the intercom beeped. Sam jabbed at the button.
"What Bridget?"
"Sir, I know you said not to bug you but a situation has come up."
"What?"
"Um... I wasn't really told but Ms. Cregg said it's very important and that she needs speak to you immediately."
"Okay. Thanks Bridget." Sam turned the intercom off. "Excuse me."
He headed into CJ's office and shut the door. She went to stand up but Sam waved a hand at her.
"What's so urgent?" he asked.
"Was I interrupting something?" CJ replied.
"It's just Gracie." Sam muttered. "I mean... we're having a talk."
"I'm sorry sir."
"It's okay. What's going on?"
"Remember the problem with the space shuttle?"
"Yeah."
"It's been leaked."
"To whom?"
"Greg Brock of the New York Times."
"Who leaked it?"
"White House Counsel is getting into it. The Senior Staff is going to be subpoenaed."
"Obviously." Sam muttered. "This is fantastic. Like we don't have enough problems with the Inauguration."
"Don't worry about that. Toby and Will have it covered."
"CJ, I want to know who did this as soon as you know."
"Yes sir."
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"I don't understand." Ainsley said. "She was doing so good."
"And she still is. It's just... all the news is getting her riled up." Sam said.
"I don't want her going back to the way she was when she got out of the hospital Sam. God, I hated that."
"I know."
"Why can't anything ever be easy?"
"Because life isn't fair and we have to deal what we're thrown."
"Well thank you oh wise one." Ainsley teased. She saw CJ first and smiled. "Hi CJ."
"Good evening Mrs. Seaborn. Mr. President, do you have a minute?"
"You know, when we're in private you can cut the formality shit Ceej." Sam said. "Yeah, I got a minute. Excuse us."
"What's going on?" Ainsley asked.
"Big important political stuff that you don't need to be worrying about." Sam replied, following CJ out into the hallway. "So?"
"Can we talk somewhere in private?"
"This hallway isn't private enough?"
"Sam..."
"Come on." he led CJ into his study and shut the door. "What's going on?"
CJ sat down in one of the chairs and stared down at her lap.
"I was... I didn't want to have to be the one to tell you."
"You found out who did it."
"Yeah."
"Who was it?"
CJ sighed and looked up at Sam.
"It was Toby." she said. Sam felt like he got punched in the stomach and slowly sunk down into his chair.
"He told Brock?"
"Yeah. He admitted it to me. We were joking around that the last one to be subpoenaed was the one who did it and I thought I was the last one but I knew I didn't do it but I still planned on getting drunk out of my mind anyway and Toby came in. I told him to split the champagne with me but he said that he did it. Sam, you need to talk to him."
"I know."
"You... you need to fire him."
"I know." Sam muttered, burying his face in his hands. "God this is hard."
"I know." CJ said. "I mean... for all these years it's been you, Josh, me, and Toby."
"I can't believe he'd do it."
"He did. We can't change the fact that it happened."
"I'm the one that has to fire him." Sam said quietly, leaning back in his chair. "All the years we worked together and I always thought that I'd screw up first and he'd fire me. Call him into the Oval Office. I'll be down there in about ten minutes."
CJ nodded and left the room. Sam swallowed back tears and ran a hand through his hair, then slowly exited the room as well.
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Sam entered the Oval Office and Toby rose to his feet.
"Don't bother." Sam muttered, sitting behind his desk. Neither of them talked for a minute and CJ looked between them. "Jesus Christ Toby, what the hell were you thinking?"
"I honestly don't know." he said. "I'd apologize but I know it doesn't make a difference."
"It doesn't. I have to fire you."
"I understand that."
Sam swivelled in his chair and faced the window. Toby stared down at the floor and opened his mouth to speak but Sam got there first.
"I'm sure everything's been explained to you."
"Yes sir."
"Then get out." Sam said, a hurt and angered tone in his voice. Toby stood and headed for the door, then turned back to Sam, who was still facing the window.
"Just for the record Sam, it's been a pleasure serving you."
Sam didn't say anything and didn't turn around until he heard the door shut.
"You couldn't help it." CJ said.
"Yeah I know. We need a Communications Director."
"I'll move Will up."
"Then we need a Deputy."
"You need to address the nation first."
"I know that too CJ." Sam snapped.
"I'll get the camera crew in here."
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Ainsley buried herself under the blankets and turned the TV on. She flipped through a few channels and paused on CNN. The anchorwoman paused for a minute and began to speak again.
"I've just been informed that in a few short minutes we will be addressed by President Seaborn from the Oval Office."
Ainsley's eyes bugged out of her head and sat up. What the hell was going on down there? Almost a half hour later Sam dragged himself through the door and went into the bathroom.
"Do you want to tell me what the hell just happened?" Ainsley called.
"Sure. My staff is falling apart at the seams and Toby screwed all of us over." the shower turned on and Ainsley sighed. She waited about twenty minutes for Sam to come out and by forty minutes, she went in, put the lid down on the toilet and sat.
"Honey, are you trying to drown yourself?"
Ainsley heard Sam sigh and the water shut off. She grabbed a towel off the rack and handed it to Sam, who wrapped it around his waist. He leaned against the wall and Ainsley eyed him for a minute. He was still muscular, always worrying about his health and keeping fit when possible, but he was gaining a few pounds. Ainsley decided now was not the time to point this out to Sam so she kept her mouth shut.
Deciding to ignore her, Sam grabbed Ainsley's blow dryer and turned it on. Ainsley watched on, an amused look at her face as Sam blow dried his hair. He worried more about his hair than she and Gracie combined.
"Stop laughing at me." Sam muttered, grabbing a brush. He ran it through his hair and sighed.
"What?"
"I have gray hair."
"Sam..."
"I'm going gray."
"Honey..."
"I can't believe this."
"Sam!"
He turned and looked at Ainsley, a worried look on his face.
"What? Are you okay?"
"Oh yeah I'm fine. You on the other hand are about to have a nutty. You've had gray hair for about a year now."
"Not like this." he mumbled.
"I think it's sexy. It makes you look distinguished and not like you're eternally young."
Sam pawed at his head and sighed, making Ainsley roll her eyes.
"You're just upset about Toby and figured you'd take it out on your hair. Come on. Let's go to bed." she said. Sam nodded and quickly got dressed. They got into bed and Sam curled up next to Ainsley, burying his head in her shoulder. She kissed his forehead as she stroked his hair softly.
"Why can't anything ever go right?"
"Well... quoting you from before... "Because life isn't fair and we have to deal what we're thrown."
"Don't use my wisdom against me."
"Sorry."
"The first term was so easy and now this one has just sucked. And we still have not gotten to Inauguration Day."
"It will be fine."
"I'm beginning to wonder if this was a mistake, running again."
"If it wasn't meant to be, you wouldn't have been reelected. The public loves you Sam. They believe you can run the country for another four years. So these past few months haven't been easy. Every administration has its ups and downs. It's never going to be perfect."