"Are you sure you don't want to come?"
"I can't come. I have that interview."
"Oh yeah." Sam looked around the room, silently making a mental list of things.
"You got everything?" Ainsley asked.
"I'm pretty sure."
There was a knock on the door and Bridget stuck her head in the room.
"The car's ready Mr. President."
"I'll be down in a minute."
Bridget nodded and shut the door.
"You have to go." Ainsley said.
"Yeah," Sam leaned down and kissed her. He hugged her after they pulled apart and she buried her face in his shoulder. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Take it easy."
"I will." Ainsley promised.
"I'll call you when I get settled in at the hotel."
"Okay."
"Okay."
"You have to go Sam."
"I know. Bye." he kissed her once more, then headed out of the room. Ainsley flopped down on the bed and sighed, then turned the TV on. Sam headed down the hallway to Gracie's room and opened the door. She looked up from her computer and smiled.
"Do you think it would be wrong of me to put in my interesting facts part of my report that President Seaborn accidentally slept with a hooker?"
"She was a call girl and yes it would be. And what report is this?"
"History. It's really stupid. We had to pick a president's name out of a hat and write a four page report on him."
"And you just happened to pick out my name."
"Yeah."
"Out of all the presidents you got me."
"Ironic isn't it?"
"That's not being fair to the other kids."
"I know but I can't help it." Gracie said. "Give me an interesting fact about you."
"Uh... I don't know. I don't think I'm that interesting."
"Okay then. We'll... say you swam with dolphins."
"I never swam with dolphins."
"They don't need to know that." Gracie said, quickly typing.
"I thought it was a report, not a story." Sam said.
"Yeah, haha very funny. You're hilarious."
"I've heard."
"I'll say you were a stand-up comedian in college."
"Gracie, you can't lie on a report."
"How about you attended Princeton, where you graduated suma cum laude and then Duke."
"Fantastic. I'm leaving for California now. Your mom's staying home, she's got an interview this weekend. I'll be back Saturday night. Don't cause trouble."
"I never cause trouble."
"Yeah, uhuh." Sam leaned down and kissed the top of Gracie's head. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Get the report done."
"I will."
Sam headed for the door, then turned around.
"Hey, you can say I was the Recording Secretary of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society for two years at Princeton." he said.
"You're not a woman though." Gracie said. Sam stared at her then opened the door.
"I'll see you Saturday."
------------------------TWW-----------------
Sam was in the middle of a breakfast with Governor Portman, a Republican that got on his nerves, when Bridget walked in.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." she said. "The Vice President is on the phone."
"Excuse me." Sam stood up, then walked out of the room and was handed a cell phone. "Hey. What's going on?"
There was silence for a minute and Sam paled as he began talking again.
"Okay. No, I'm coming back now. I don't care. I'm coming back now. Josh," he sighed and waited as his best friend spoke. "I'm not staying here. I'm coming back and that's it. Is... okay. I'll be back soon."
Sam snapped the phone shut and handed it to one of the assistants.
"Bridget, cancel the rest of the weekend." he said.
"Cancel it?"
"Yes. We're going back to DC."
------------------TWW---------------
Gracie stared out the window as she sat in the car, a blank look on her face. Alex glanced at her and rested a hand on her back.
"You okay?"
"I dunno." Gracie mumbled. "Dave, can you turn that up?"
The driver nodded and raised the radio's volume.
"Earlier today, President Seaborn cut his trip to California short after receiving news of the First Lady being admitted into the hospital. Mrs. Seaborn was giving an interview with NBC on a fundraiser for one of the charities that she supports today and during a commercial she had collapsed and—"
"Dave, shut it off." Alex ordered. "Gracie, you don't need to be listening to it."
She didn't say anything, just continued to stare out the window at DC quickly passing by her.
-------------------TWW---------------
"Hey," Josh rested a hand on Gracie's shoulder, making her jump. "You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Why aren't you with your mom?"
"I don't want to go in there." Gracie mumbled.
"Gracie, she's fine."
"I know. I just don't want to go in there."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't!"
"She want's to see you."
"Josh, I don't care. I don't even want to be here."
"What's the matter with you?"
"What the hell do you care?" Gracie snapped. "You're not my father."
Neither of them had realized that the door to the private waiting room had opened and Sam was standing there.
"I think you owe Josh an apology." he said quietly.
"No it's okay." he said. "She's in 502."
"Thanks."
Josh walked out and Gracie turned away from her father, crossing her arms over her chest as she settled back in the chair she was in. Sam walked over to her, standing behind her chair.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"What's the matter?"
"I've been here for eight hours and want to go home."
"Have you talked to your mother?"
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to be here!" Gracie exclaimed. "I hate it here."
"So you've just sat in this chair for eight hours?" Sam asked.
"Yep."
"Honey, she's not dead."
"I know. I just hate being in hospitals. After all, I spent a week in this place."
"I know how you feel. You should come see her."
"I'll see her later." Gracie mumbled. "Can I go?"
Sam stared at her for a minute then nodded.
"I'll see you back at the Residence." he said. Gracie nodded and fled from the room. Sam followed her but turned to the right and headed down the hallway to Ainsley's room. He saw the doctor was in there and waited by the door. Ainsley saw him and gave him a small smile. The doctor turned and greeted Sam.
"Good evening Mr. President."
"Hi."
"I'll leave you two alone." the doctor said and walked out. Sam walked over to Ainsley's side and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Didn't I tell you to take it easy?" he teased, then turned serious. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. The baby's fine. I just... the doctor said I've been stressed over the past few weeks and during the interview it just caught up with me and well I ended up here."
"Are they sure the baby's fine?"
"Yeah. They did an ultrasound to make sure. He's fine."
"He?"
Ainsley smiled and nodded.
"They're sure it's a he?"
"They're definitely sure."
Sam laughed slightly and nodded.
"Okay."
"They're keeping me overnight to keep an eye on things but they said I should be released tomorrow afternoon." Ainsley said. Sam nodded and leaned over, kissing her softly.
"You had me scared." he murmured, resting his forehead against hers as his hand covered hers where it laid on her stomach.
"I had me scared too. Where's Gracie?"
"I sent her home. She wasn't comfortable sitting in here."
"What?"
"I guess it triggered thoughts."
"I don't know what to do with her. She talks to Friedman and it seems to work for a couple of days, then she gets worse until she talks with him again." Ainsley said.
"She just has to deal with it in her own way I guess."