I know—I know—It's taken me forever to update, but life has been insane lately. However, this next section is much longer than normal and has some exciting developments. Enjoy!

The disclaimer and other important information can be found in the first part.

Leo knocks on the connecting door, "Margaret hurry up!"

He hears a thump and then a rather large crash.

"Margaret!"

Leo becomes concerned when the only response is an unintelligible mumble.

Leo tries the door, "Margaret, the door's locked."

He doesn't hear an answer so he forces the lock.

"Margaret?" Leo chuckles, "What are you doing?"

"I'm stuck," she mutters through her dress.

"Up you go." He pulls her out from under the table and helps her pull her dress down over her head, "Come on we're going to be late."

Margaret stops to look in the mirror and has to fix her hair.

"Women," he shakes his head, "Could we go?"

"What are you so grumpy about?"

"It's the inaugural balls. I'd like to be there before the president."

"There are what – six of them?"

Leo giver her his patented "I'm not kidding" look.

"Your bow-tie isn't done yet." She quickly fixed the problem not bothering to comment on his lack of ability to get dressed on his own.

Leo helps Margaret with her coat so they can leave.

"Mr. President," Leo greets him with respect and yet familiarity.

"Leo! I haven't seen you since you were discharged. Where have you been hiding?"

"I've been around."

"Who's this pretty lady?"

"This is my secretary, Margaret O'Connor," Leo practically beams as Margaret shakes the President's hand.

The First Lady joins them, grabbing onto her husband's arm, "Leo, put a ring on her finger before you create the oldest scandal in Washington. Mrs. Cole has told me all about you two."

Leo practically spits out the drink of water he has just taken. He had some idea about what is whispered behind their backs, but never expected it to be put forth so bluntly. Margaret is on the verge of matching her hair color.

"It was nice seeing you again and an honor. I need to take Margaret outside before she hyperventilates." He shakes the President's hand again and then places it on the small of Margaret's back.

He guides her through the secret service mess so they can stand outside.

"Margaret, these rumors have been flying around since I hired you," Leo can't help but let a smile creep into his voice, "Mrs. Cole just doesn't like us."

"I spilled imported potting soil all over her expensive rug." Margaret starts to find some humor in the situation.

They stand together and laugh – those milling outside giving them odd stares.

"Margaret, you have to see this."

"What?" Margaret enters through the open connecting door.

"This is the greatest movie…"

"It's in black and white."

"So…"

"Black and white means really old."

"Get over here and watch it."

Margaret points at herself and Leo realizes she's still in her slip.

"Hurry up—you're going to miss the best part."

Margaret reenters a few moments later wearing her pajamas, "Why are we here?"

"I don't get this channel at my apartment."

"Ha-Ha"

"Traffic is terrible tonight," his eyebrows go up, "Nice pajamas."

Margaret rolls her eyes, "I could be at home right now without you making fun of my pajamas." She flops onto the bed, resting her back on the pillow next to him. This was a new concept -- one that despite everything they hadn't tried yet – but it is comfortable.

"They filmed this scene on location in New York since they were snowed out of Chicago."

"I thought you hadn't seen this."

"I said that it was old not that I didn't know anything about it."

Leo gives her a lopsided grin and shakes his head. He really doesn't want to know where all the information in Margaret's head originates.

It isn't long before Margaret's eyes start to droop. Leo doesn't say anything when she falls over onto his shoulder. It had been a long night and was now actually the wee hours of the morning.

The movie still plays in the background, but Leo isn't paying attention anymore. He can't help, but focus on the woman sleeping on his shoulder. He never would have imagined them doing this when she had first walked into the office. In fact he had expected her to run like the rest, but she had cleaned his office instead.

He turns his head and kisses her on the temple. This is contentment. Leo's eyes widen at that thought. Perhaps it wasn't the Washington gossip that was wrong, it was them.

Flashback

"Margaret!"

"I'm hurrying," Margaret drapes his garment bag over the couch next to him, "We're only going across town."

"And I'll be waiting all night for you to get dressed."

Margaret gives him a long hard stare.

"Come on." He opens the door, "Why can't I pack my own luggage again?"

"The wrinkled look doesn't suit you."

Leo gives her a side ways glance.

"No, frumpy doesn't suit you at all."

He lets the driver load the car while he opens the car door for Margaret.

Leo grins when he thinks about the fight they had in the car.

"You made an appointment on your own? I thought we had established rules about that."

"It's hard to plan a surprise that way."

"Surprise?"

We're meeting a few friends for diner tomorrow."

End Flashback

When did my friends become her friends? She's my Margaret. The idea of her belonging to anyone else really bothers him. He pulls her closer and she just snuggles into him without waking up. He turns off the television and tries to get some sleep himself.

Margaret wakes up to something or someone nuzzling her neck. She sighs and breathes in that familiar scent. Leo! Her eyes pop open.

"Morning sweetie."

Has he been drinking again? She goes into full panic mode.

Leo's mouth is on hers before she can voice her thoughts. He doesn't taste like alcohol. His tongue dances along her lips and he lets him in. This is what she wanted after all: the right to worry about him.

The moment isn't awkward when they pull apart. Leo gives her a lopsided grin, "We're going to visit the memorials—Get dressed." He's in the bathroom before Margaret can collect herself to say anything.

She doesn't move right away. Everything over the past two years has been building up to this. Margaret, however, had missed the memo that said it was actually going to happen. She had no idea that he returned any of her feelings.

Leo tenses as they round the corner to the Vietnam War Memorial. Margaret squeezes his hand tighter. He stops -- looks at their hands, "How do you know…"

"Your mother told me."

Leo, voice lighter than expected, asks, "What else did she tell you?"

Margaret's face portrays the fact that she knows more than he would ever want.

"Yeah, you're not allowed in a room alone with my mother anymore." Leo's voice still has that teasing tone, but it has a very serious undercurrent.

Margaret doesn't understand Leo's sudden discomfort. He had already demonstrated trusting her with his faults. She doesn't question his attitude and merely responds to his humor.

"You were cute as a baby."

Leo almost gives a rebuttal, but his eyes catch the familiar gleam. He leaves Margaret and walks along the rising wall -- his fingertips brushing along names there: the memory of fallen comrades.

"We flew out of…"

"You don't have to tell me anything," Margaret whispers quietly behind him.

Leo turns to her, looking lost, "When did this happen?"

Margaret is confused for a moment – not realizing that he wasn't talking about Vietnam anymore. The way he looks at her makes her understand the question. "The moment I laid eyes on you"

"Yeah," he nods, contemplating, "I think you're right."

They make an odd pair, kissing in front of the Vietnam War Memorial.

It had started to snow making the sidewalks slick with the first dusting. Washington was taken by surprise as the weather channel once again got it wrong. Margaret dress shoes certainly didn't have any treed on them and neither did Leo's. Their first step in the hurry to get back to the hotel had resulted in Margaret landing on her butt. Leo didn't try to surpass his snicker as he helps her up. The slipping and sliding eventually turns into purposeful pushes. They are giggling like school kids and earning themselves quite a few odd glances as they enter the hotel lobby. Well, until they figuratively run smack into Jenny O'Brien and the guy to which she is attached. Leo sobers up quickly and Margaret stops dead in her tracks. This isn't supposed to happen.

"Leo"

"Jenny," he curtly acknowledges and the moves to guide Margaret onward.

"I come back to Washington to find out you're parading around your secretary."

"That's none of your business."

"It's embarrassing. I've been replaced by her"

"Yeah and you walked out on me."

"Because you wouldn't change," she gestures angrily, "you wouldn't change and you can't tell me she didn't ask for the same."

"Yes, she asked me to change, but when I didn't she stayed. That's the difference."

He hurriedly guides Margaret past the seething woman.

"To the election of another democratic president." Abbey toasts and they click glasses. The next few moments consists of silver ware scraping against plates.

"Did you know that out of all the fighting in the town of Gettysburg not one of its citizens was killed?"

"That's not true. Several citizens died including a little girl," Margaret remarks sadly.

Noah comments to his wife, "No one's done that before."

"Really wow that changes…"

They launch into a discussion about the town of Gettysburg during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Leo inwardly groans. Margaret had done something that they had learned long ago not to do: correct Jed Bartlett. She's holding her own, but the entire diner conversation would now be about Gettysburg.

This had turned into the day of unexpectedness for Leo McGarry. If anyone had been really paying attention they would have noticed the smirk that still remained on his face. Whatever relationship he now has with Margaret wasn't planned and running into Jenny wasn't on his schedule either. He finally realizes that he has found someone who accepts him faults and all. Of course, a demon from the past had to come rear her ugly head. His return to the hotel room consisted of pacing and spitting fire. Margaret grabbed him by the tie and kissed him. Jenny seemed rather insignificant after that. He smirks at the memory.

Abbey, "What's that grin for? I know you don't find Gettysburg amusing."

"Nothing," He smiles bigger.

"You're hiding something Leo. I'll find out eventually."

"I know"

TBC

Thank you to all my loyal readers!