Author's Note: Thanks to those who took the time to review. It is greatly appreciated. I do not own the West Wing or the characters, I simply enjoy writing for them.

"Scattered Conversations"

Sam flinched as the gun shots fired through the gloomy afternoon. He was never a fan of weapons and with each shot fired Sam felt as if he's been punched in the stomach. Finally, the military honor ceased and a silence fell over the cemetery again, save for a few birds who didn't know it was inappropriate to sing on day such as this.

It was almost easy to forget that Leo was a military man at one point in his life. At times he had the roar of a lion, but he always possessed the heart of a kitten. He walked the fine line between so many characteristics that it was hard for anyone to say they actually knew him. He was the man who acted uninterested in the debacle with Sam and Laurie or CJ's flirtation with Danny Concannon, yet he cared enough to notice that Donna was more than an assistant to Josh and other details of his staff's lives. Well, his former staff anyway. Sam went to California and he lost touch with many of them. He and Josh used to trade the occasional phone call. He and CJ traded a random e-mail every so often, but it was never like it used to be.

Sam recalled the last time he talked to Leo. He decided to give him a call after the debate and tell him he had done well. The phone call was brief and to the point. Leo sounded happy and slighted exhausted and Sam had a million things to do and so they said they'd keep in touch. Everyone always says they'll keep in touch and more often than not it's simply not true. Sure, there'll be Christmas cards and birthday wishes, but it's not the same as actually being there. It's not the same as how it was in the days when Sam felt he had everything to live for and everything to lose. He still felt that way sometimes, but now, with Leo's death everything seemed a little less urgent. Leo's death put a lot of things in perspective, not just for Sam, but for everyone who knew him.

The funeral was winding down and Sam started to make his way toward Mallory. She looked so fragile and lost. He hadn't seen her in years, but he still held her in high regard.

"Mallory," he said approaching her slowly.

She was still seated and her eyes looked up to meet the sound of his voice. "Sam," she said with a small smile. She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. "It's good to see you."

"I wish it were under different circumstances," he said pulling back to look at her. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," she said quietly. "I didn't know you would be in town."

"Yeah, well I owe Leo a lot," Sam said.

"I can't believe how many people were here today," she said clutching the American flag that had draped his casket. "I knew that Dad knew most of Washington, but I guess I didn't expect them all to show up."

"He made a difference in a lot of people's lives," Sam said feeling self-conscious. He was used to writing eloquently. It didn't matter if it was a birthday card or a eulogy, but today he couldn't seem to muster any of the talent he once honed so precisely in the White House. This time the occasion was too close to home.

"Are you going to be in town long?" Mallory asked.

"I go back to California tomorrow night," Sam informed her.

"Mallory," a man interrupted the conversation. "Your mom wanted to talk to you for a minute." Sam wondered if this was the infamous husband that he'd never met. He was tall and looked like Mallory's type, but now was not the time to size him up.

"Right," she replied. "Tell her I'll be right there."

Sam and Mallory shared a look and Sam was able to convey everything he couldn't articulate in that moment.

"Thanks for coming," she said giving him another hug. "It was good to see you again."

"You too," Sam said. He was about to walk away when he turned and added, "Hey Mal, I'm gonna keep in touch if that's okay."

"That would be nice," she smiled. "I'll look forward to your call."

"Yeah," he said with a wave. He watched her walk away, shoulders slumped and head down. He felt so horrible for her, but in a way he knew at least of fraction of what she felt. Mallory lost a father and Sam felt, that like a godfather or beloved uncle, he'd lost someone whose presence in his life could never be erased.

"Sam," CJ called as she walked over to him. They greeted each other with a hug and Sam could tell that CJ's eyes were still puffy from crying.

"It's good to see you," he said pulling back. CJ took his hands in hers and wouldn't let go for a moment.

"You too," she said. "It's been too long."

"Much too long," he agreed.

"I love you Sam," she said suddenly.

"Okay," he said slightly confused.

"Stop," she said grinning slightly. "I mean I love you in the most platonic way possible."

"What, I'm not good enough for you?" he teased her. She dropped his hands and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm being serious," she said. "I told Josh and Margaret and Donna and now I'm telling you. I love you."

"I love you too Claudia Jean," he said seriously.

"Why didn't we ever say it?" CJ asked him.

"I think the conversation we just had pretty much answers that question," Sam said as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Saying I love you shouldn't get you teased," CJ pointed out.

"And yet," Sam replied.

"And yet," she agreed. "Have you talked to the president?"

"I saw him briefly just before the service. How is he holding up? He looked okay."

"He's holding it together," CJ informed him. "Abbey is the only one who could really know I suppose. Did he mention the wake tonight?"

"Seven o'clock in the residence," Sam said.

"He insisted on putting it together himself," CJ said. "I don't even know who he invited."

"It's too bad Toby couldn't be here," Sam said looking around at the crowd.

CJ thought for a moment after Sam's comment and she felt an anger rise up within her. The truth was that Toby could have been there, but he'd chosen not too. Strike that, he'd chosen to skip the church and instead skulk 100 yards away from the group at Arlington. CJ saw him when she was walking to the gravesite and while she was happy that he'd come she still felt an anger that she couldn't place. Even after the president paved the way for him to be able to come he was still too stubborn to oblige.

The day after CJ had the horrible task of telling the president that Leo had died he called her into the Oval Office.

"How's China doing?" he asked casually.

"About as well as can be expected," CJ replied.

"And Kazakhstan?"

"The same."

"Good," he nodded. "I'm sure it doesn't mean much to them, but if they could just go the next few days without trying to insight World War III that would be great."

"I understand," CJ said.

"Because really I'm not sure I wouldn't have half a mind to just decimate the whole damn continent right now," he said. He sighed as if the weight of the world, not just a nation, was on his shoulders.

"Look, there's gonna be a lot going on in the next few days with the…thing," President Bartlet said. It was as if he was incapable of saying the word funeral. Actually it was probably more of an unwillingness to say to the words. Just as when he tried to prevent CJ from saying the out loud.

"I want to have a wake for Leo," he said resolved. "There's gonna be a lot of people at the church and the cemetery and I want to have a wake afterwards for us, the people who knew him."

"Yes sir," CJ said.

"Please invite Margaret," he said. "But I'll take care of the rest."

"Of course sir," CJ nodded.

"It'll be in the residence, very casual," he continued. "There's just one thing I need you to do for me."

"Anything Mr. President," she said.

"I need you to take these to Council's Office," he said handing her a folder. "It's all signed and ready to go."

CJ took the folder and glanced at the president before flipping it open casually. It only took her a moment's glance to read and understand what he was handing her.

"Sir," she started.

"I've made up my mind," he said interrupting her. "He needs to be there. This is the only way. I know there'll be fallout but right now I really don't give a damn. We'll deal with it after. I don't want to make a big thing out of this, but he should be there."

"I understand," CJ replied. She was partly relieved and partly stunned by what she held in her hand.

"Josh still talks to him right?" the president asked.

"I think so sir," CJ replied. "He said he was going to call him and let him know before he got the news from the media."

"Ask Josh to invite him to the wake will you?" he asked.

"Of course sir, what should I tell Will to tell the press about this?" CJ asked.

"Take it out with the trash," he replied. "It'll be after the fact, but it's not really my concern right now."

"Yes Mr. President," she said.

She walked out of the Oval Office with the papers that would pardon Toby. It would make the past months irrelevant and he could pay his respects to the man who didn't fire him all those years ago.

"CJ?" Sam asked after her prolonged silence.

"Yeah?" she said pulling herself out of the memory.

"I said it's too bad Toby couldn't have been here," Sam repeated.

"Yeah," she said. "It's too bad. Sam, will you excuse me for a minute? I have to catch Josh."

"Sure," he said. "I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, tonight," CJ said as she walked away to find Josh. Although the president had pardoned Toby it wasn't yet public knowledge, especially since he decided not to attend the church service. Josh was still the go-between where he was concerned.

"Josh," CJ called.

Josh turned and smiled when he saw her approach. He had only seen her for a moment before the church service.

"Hey," he said. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," she said honestly. She had shed so many tears over the last few days that she wasn't sure she had any left. "How about you?"

"Hanging in there," he replied.

"How's Donna?"

"She's hanging in there too."

"I'm glad she's still there for you," CJ said casually.

"Yeah," Josh replied clearly not in the mood to discuss how he had leaned on Donna in the past few days.

"So anyway," CJ said quickly changing the subject. "I know you have a lot to deal with on the campaign right now--"

"I'm not concerned about the campaign today," Josh interrupted. "Today is about Leo."

"I know," CJ replied. "I figured you'd have to be with Santos before the wake tonight, but I was hoping you might be able to have a chat with Toby before you left."

"He didn't come," Josh pointed out.

"No, he did," CJ took Josh by the shoulders and turned his body toward a large tree about 100 feet away.

"Why didn't he come to the church?" Josh asked turning back to her.

"I have no idea. But, the president would like him to be at the wake tonight."

"I told him about it," Josh said.

"I think he'd like a guarantee and he's asked me to ask you to talk to him."

"He pardoned him CJ," Josh replied. "He's free to talk to him. Hell, you're free to talk to him."

"You know as well as I do that this is going to be a big story," CJ said. "The president wants today to be about Leo, not about Toby and the pardon. Tomorrow can be about Toby and pardon."

"And if you're seen with him before then that'll tip your hand."

"It's a story for trash day," CJ replied.

"Fine," Josh sighed. "But just because I talk to him doesn't mean he'll come."

"I know," CJ said. "I appreciate it Josh."

"Yeah," he said shoving his hands into his pockets and beginning to walk toward Toby.

"I'll see you tonight," CJ called.

Josh continued to walk. He simply waved his hand in the air above his head to acknowledge her comment. He sighed as he made his way up the small incline to where Toby stood, camped out by a tree. Josh glanced behind him and saw that Toby had quite a good view of the ceremony from where he stood.

"Becoming one with nature?" Josh asked as he approached Toby.

Toby shot Josh a look that told him he was in no mood to joke. He was bundled in a long gray trench coat, his shoved deeply into his pockets. He paced back and forth a bit before answering.

"What are you doing here?" Toby asked.

"The Secret Service asked me to check out a stalking claim," Josh replied glibly. After a beat he added, "CJ asked me to come over and talk to you."

"Good to know she's looking out for me," he replied bitterly.

"Actually she was just obeying an order from the Commander in Chief."

Toby scoffed audibly to Josh's comment.

"Seriously, what are you doing over here? You weren't at the church, you're out here in the wilderness like Grizzly Man, what's going on?"

"Grizzly Man?" Toby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You'd be surprised by the lack of selection on hotel pay-per-view in Iowa. Why weren't you at the church?"

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was supposed to come running because I was thrown a bone," Toby said angrily. It was clear he was fuming as the speed of his pacing increased.

"Thrown a bone?" Josh asked puzzled. "The president pardoned you Toby. You don't have to worry about the trial or going to jail. You're going to be able to see your kids grow up."

"Well gee Josh, I guess I should be grateful and genuflect when I see the president for saving my poor, pathetic life, as if it erases the last few months of stress and legal motions and humilation."

"He did save your poor, pathetic life," Josh said loudly. "Whether you like it or not you were wrong and you screwed up beyond what anyone ever expected."

"Beyond what they expected?" Toby interjected. "You were all expecting me to screw up then?"

Josh took a breath and looked at Toby for a minute before answering. "Yeah Toby," he said simply. "We were. We just didn't think you'd do such a good job of it."

Toby looked at Josh and he could see the anger flair up in his eyes. For a second Josh wondered if Toby might actually try to hit him. In a strange way he was almost hoping that he would. It was clear that Toby was dealing with anger and Josh was dealing with grief and if they hit each other maybe they would reach that cathartic release and be able to move on.

"You've had your share of disasters as I recall Josh," Toby said calmly. The anger was replaced by passive aggressive behavior. He was going to bait him. "Wasn't it you who caused a Congressman to jump parties? Wasn't it you who abandoned ship and ran off to Texas rather than finish what you started here? You know what they say about glass houses Josh. You can judge me all you want, but I was here. CJ and I were the ones holding down the fort while Sam and Donna and you went off to go find yourselves!"

Josh ran his hand through his hair angrily. "Yeah, I bet CJ was really happy you were helping her hold down the fort when you got her name on the short list for leaking government secrets."

Both men just looked at each silently. There was much more left to say but Josh wasn't in the mood to get into it.

"I thought we were over this?" Josh said. "I thought we agreed that you were a bastard and I was an asshole and that we were moving on. We've talked. I thought this was over."

"Yeah that makes two of us," Toby sighed.

"You should be happy," Josh reminded him. "You should be grateful that he pardoned you. He wanted you here today and you snubbed him. He handed you a full pardon and you threw it in his face."

"Josh there were a million and one television cameras at that church today. My pardon is going out on trash day and I think my presence at Leo's very public funeral would have derailed their plans. He didn't really want me there today."

"Well he wants you there tonight," Josh said. "Regardless of what you think this isn't a chess game between you and the president. It's not a matter of who can plan their moves down the line. He wants you there at seven."

"Why do you care if I'm there? Why are you doing this?" Toby asked him sincerely.

"I don't care if you're there. This is for Leo," Josh replied. "This is what sons do for old friends of their father. I hope I'll see you tonight."

"We'll see," Toby sighed.

"Fine," Josh said with disgust as he turned to walk away.

Toby, unable to resist one last poke at Josh, said as he walked away, "Santos is going to lose Josh. Leo was the one thing you had going for you."

Josh shook his head and sighed not looking back. "Go to hell Toby," he replied.

"I'm already there," Toby said under his breath as he watched Josh walk back to the people still milling around the cemetery. Toby turned to walk to his car and contemplate whether he'd honor the president's request.

TBC