"That's not the point though!" Gracie exclaimed. "You said he could come."
"I—" Sam stopped when Ainsley glared over their daughter's shoulder at him. "I... I did say that yes. But Gracie, I just..."
"Never mind. He's here. I'll see you guys before the show starts."
"Wait, you're leaving?"
"For now."
"Where are you going?"
"Wandering. With Ben. Problem?"
"You've got quite the attitude." Sam said quietly as Gracie walked away. He turned around and Ainsley wrapped an arm around his waist.
"You need to get a life." she said.
"I have one."
"Monitoring your daughter is not having a life."
"No that's just another one of my jobs."
"No it's not. There's Senator Andrews."
"I don't want to talk to him."
"You're very whiny tonight." Ainsley murmured as they walked around the lobby of the Kennedy Center. "What are you going to do when she gets married and moves away and has her own kids?"
"Well I'll be dead by then so I won't have to worry."
"Oh she's not going to get married till she's fifty?"
"See, now you're catching on." Sam said. Ainsley smacked him and he smiled down at her. "Why does she have to like him?"
"I don't know. Why do I have to like you?"
"Because I am incredibly sexy and no one can do anything about it and you were just drawn to me."
"Hah, yeah. Don't make me laugh."
"She's supposed to be worrying about school."
"Sam, when you were fifteen did you worry about school or girls?"
"School."
"You lie."
"No I'm serious."
----------------------TWW-------------------
Sam had one eye on the play and the other on Gracie, who was curled up next to Ben, her head resting on his shoulder. He held back a sigh and turned to Ainsley as she slid her hand into his.
"Stop it." she whispered.
"I'm not doing anything."
"You're staring at them."
"It's not a crime." Sam hissed. Ainsley gave him a look and pulled his arm around her. She smiled at him and pulled his face towards her, then kissed him lightly.
"You know, as she grows up, you have to too." she mumbled.
"No law saying that."
"It's my law."
"Kiss my ass Ainsley Hayes."
"Watch the play Sam." she glanced at Ben and Gracie, smiled, then put her head on Sam's shoulder. He sighed into her hair and looked over at their daughter again. Ben's hand, which had been resting on her shoulder, was slowly inching downward and Sam glared at the teenager. He nudged Ainsley lightly, which was ignored, so he nudged her again. "What?"
"He's touching her!"
"Samuel, don't think I won't kill you."
"Make them stop."
"Sam, watch the play or I'll put you in the car and you won't be able to see anything they're doing to each other. This is a privilege I gave you."
"You're not my mother!"
"Shh!" Gracie nudged her father lightly and gave him a look.
---------------------TWW-----------------
"I'm hungry." Gracie announced. She looked around the limo and said, "Are you guys hungry?"
Sam, Ainsley, and Ben shook their heads and Gracie shrugged.
"I'm hungry. I want tacos. Can we stop at Taco Bell?"
"Yeah," Sam snorted. "Because the guy at the drive thru window wouldn't find it a little shocking that the President's limo is ordering food."
"God, it's not like we're in a UFO or something."
"You two have school in the morning and we have to get the young squire over there home before midnight."
"Thought that was Cinderella."
"Same stuff Gracie, same stuff."
"I'm hungry."
"You have a large kitchen to raid when we get back to the Residence."
"Actually," Ainsley gave Sam a sheepish grin. "She's making me hungry."
"Oh good lord." he muttered. "Ben, do you have anything to add?"
"No, sir." he laughed slightly.
"Well you're overruled." Gracie said. "Dave, take us to Taco Bell."
"Hang on," Sam waved a hand at his daughter. "You can't just order my driver around. And when we get to Taco Bell, how to you plan to pay for your tacos?"
"Dave can pay."
"Dave is not the money tree."
"You can pay."
"I haven't carried money on me in years."
"Well then we rob the place Dad."
"That'll make a great headline tomorrow morning." Ben commented. "President Robs Taco Bell."
"That's hysterical." Gracie giggled. "You should just walk in Daddy and demand to get tacos. You shouldn't have to pay. You're POTUS after all."
"I'm going to duct tape your mouth shut." Sam said. "And I'm not kidding. We take Benjamin over there home and then we're going back to the White House and you are going to bed."
There was silence and Sam leaned back in his seat, shutting his eyes. Sam just had a few questions that he had not been able to ask.
"So Ben,"
"Yes sir?"
"What are your intentions with my daughter?"
"Dad!" Gracie groaned.
"Well, uh... I like her, if that's what you're asking." Ben said.
"No. I mean, you're not going to run off and elope and get her pregnant right?"
"Uh... no sir."
"I'm gonna duct tape your mouth shut Samuel." Ainsley said.
"Not yet at least." Ben added.
"Ben, you just lost the tiny liking I had for you." Sam said.
"I was kidding Mr. President."
"Nice save."
The car pulled to a stop and Sam glanced at out the window.
"This is where you leave us." he said.
"I had a good time tonight. Thank you for letting me come." Ben said.
"I didn't."
"Oh well, uh... thank you Mrs. Seaborn."
"Anytime Ben." Ainsley smiled sweetly. "It's a pleasure to have you around."
Ben returned the smile and exited the limo. Gracie quickly scrambled after him and shut the door behind her. Sam hit the button for the window to come down and opened it about an inch. Ainsley whacked him lightly and he glared at her.
"I'm listening." he whispered.
"Stop eavesdropping." Ainsley hissed.
"Shh!" Sam leaned towards the window and listened to the teenagers.
"Man, I thought meeting a father was bad but yours is the President and even tougher." Ben was saying.
"He just tries to be a hard ass but when we get home he'll tell my mom he loved you." Gracie said, making them both laugh. Sam frowned and looked at Ainsley, who gave him a look.
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"I have a four-day weekend for President's Day so I'm going to Helsinki with my parents."
"I'll see you when you get back then."
"Really?"
"Yeah." There was silence for about a minute and Sam rolled down the window a little more, then gritted his teeth, seeing the two kissing. "I'll call you."
"I look forward to it."
"Night."
"Night." Gracie turned around to get back into the limo and glared through the half opened window. "Daddy!"
"Get in the car!" Sam exclaimed.
"Leave her alone Sam!" Ainsley exclaimed. "Honestly, I've never met a more overprotective father than you."
"I don't like him."
Gracie got into the limo, stepped on Sam's foot, making him grimace, and slammed the door. She went to walk towards her seat and her parents' sighed, hearing the horrible ripping sound.
"Come on!" Gracie whined, seeing she had caught her dress in the door. Sam reopened the door and Gracie pouted as she examined the rip in her dress. "It's all your fault Dad!"
"How is this my fault?"
"I inherited your stupid klutzy ways!"
"I'm terribly sorry."
-------------------TWW---------------
Ainsley glanced over at Sam as she heard him sigh. She knew that sigh. That was sigh when he didn't want to say anything but wanted her to pay attention to him and for her to start the conversation.
"I'm not doing it Sam so don't even try it."
"Ainsley,"
"You sound like a little kid."
"He was touching her in inappropriate ways."
"Sam, you do realize she's sixteen and—"
"No." he shook his head vigorously and pointed a finger at his wife. "She's fifteen."
Ainsley rolled her eyes.
"God forbid I'm off by four months! This is getting old. It really is Sam. She's not a baby anymore."
"She's my baby."
"Do you think my father wanted me dating? No. It's... It's just a father thing I guess but she likes him and he likes her and she's happy, which is all you should be caring about."
"He was touching her."
"Of course he was! They're horny teenagers!"
"No! She's supposed to be virginal and all that crap!" Sam exclaimed.
"Hah! I don't think so." Ainsley smirked.
"Ainse, remember yesterday when she was like... a baby?"
"You mean like... sixteen years ago?"
"Stop ruining my little vision I have set up."
"Sam,"
"I don't like that she's... wearing short skirts and make-up and making out with guys." he said. "I always said I wouldn't let her be like that."
"Sam?"
"What?"
"When has she ever listened to you?"
"Good point."
"Yeah." Ainsley nodded and Sam frowned, then picked up a file and began reading through it. "Honey, you know we do have another baby on the way."
"Yeah but that's different." he muttered.
"Why?"
"Because the baby is a he and as my role as a father I need to encourage my son to have sex and pick up girls and such."
"And I will be getting just as frustrated and upset as you're getting over Gracie right now." Ainsley said. "Because I'm encouraging her to have sex and pick up guys and such."
"The roles will be reversed then."
"Yeah. You know, you seem to forget that this is a normal stage of getting older. We can't make her stay five forever."
"I wish we could."
"I know. I do too." Ainsley leaned over and kissed Sam softly. "I'm going to sleep. Shut that light off when you're done."
Sam nodded and kissed her back for a couple of seconds. Ainsley smiled when they pulled away and ran her hand through his hair.
"I love you."
"I love you too." Ainsley laid down and Sam rubbed her back gently.
"Are you really encouraging her to have sex?"
Ainsley sighed and pulled her pillow over her head, then hit her husband with it.
"Sometimes you are so dense Samuel."
"Yeah, I've heard."