DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or dialogue taken directly from the show. I do not claim to be a political expert, I am far from that, I am a biology major. Therefore I would like to preface this story with the notion I wrote this story out of pure love of the show and the characters. Thank you & enjoy.

Part 9: Wednesday, April 19, 2000

The next day I sat in the Oval Office waiting for Jed along with Sam. We each had our own agendas. I was supposed to just put in a few hours down at the White House and the finish the rest of the week at the Hill. I stood uneasily, for some reason I had a feeling Sam knew what had happened, owing to the fact he and Josh were best friends.

"Nice day," Sam said under his breath.

Today sucks I thought. "Beautiful," I smiled at him.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Look over a few loose ends Mandy left."

"I see … "

Thus was the extent of our conversation until Jed walked in.

"Sam first, then Mack. C'mon I'm on a tight schedule today," he shuffled to his desk.

"Sir, I think we need to seriously consider our resources and slowly wean ourselves off of other countries as far as fuel. Not to say we shouldn't still trade with them but I think we should begin looking to our own land."

"What does Toby say?"

"I haven't – "

"Talk to Toby and then get back to me. McKayla, what can I do for you?"

"Just a folder of random stuff Mandy left here. I can't make sense of this, so I'm leaving it in your good hands to give to someone else," I placed the folder on his desk.

"You know who to give it to."

"Toby?"

"McKayla."

"Here, Sam, give this to Josh for me," I threw the folder into his arms and began leaving when Jed called me back.

"McKayla, stay."

"Yes Sir."

"Anything else Sam?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll see you later."

Jed waited until Sam closed the door behind him then turned to me with a frown.

"Is there something I should know about?"

"No, why?"

"Well the fact that you don't want to give Josh the folder is a little red flag for starters."

"I have to go, that's all."

"You're lying McKayla. And since when was the last time I walked in and you and Sam weren't talking? What happened last night after I left?"

"Nothing. And with all due respect Sir, I really don't want to discuss this."

He sat back and removed his glasses.

"He does love you McKayla … "

"Sir – "

"I know what happened with that yahoo you went out with for a few years. I know more than you probably think I know."

"Whatever. I have to get back to Alex."

"Don't come in till the end of next week, McKayla," Jed put his glasses on again and busied himself.

"What?"

"Stay up at the Hill. You need time."

"But – "

"That's all I'm gonna say on this matter. Bye McKayla."

"Thank you Sir," I looked down and walked out.

- - - - -

I trudged into the Hart Senate Building. Throwing my stuff down and instantly starting work without a word of complaint was just a little weird. Mary and the other staffers noticed. Even my brother's chief of staff, Ryan Wallace noticed something. They all sort of crowded around my desk in curiosity. It wasn't until Mary knocked something over that I realized all these people were staring at me.

"WHAT!" I yelled.

"Is – is everything okay?" Ryan ventured to asked.

"YES! I'M FINE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Are you sure? Because you seem just a little – "

"What, Ryan? Stressed? I seem a little stressed? Well gee let's think, I was just finishing up my other job up at the most important building in the nation with some of the most important people in the world. I am asked to be in two places at once, which obviously isn't conceivable and I was just told by my boss, who technically I suppose is the President of the United States that I am not in the right state of mind to perform my job and that I shouldn't return to the White House for a week. I am trying to make the White House look good while help run my brother's office. I suppose I should show more loyalty to my brother, but then again Jed is family. And on top of all this I have an amendment draft that my brother wants me to look over by tomorrow evening, which should prove to be interesting since I know jack shit about what our state needs as far as Medicare goes because I'm too busy helping save the nation! And do I realize I'm the one who got myself into this whole mess? Of course! But would you be able to say no to your godfather if he personally asked you to help run the country? I don't think so. And to top it all off my father was there visiting so I had a personal family member to impress and uphold the family name! So am I stressed? Yes, just a little, but you know what? This to shall pass … " I sighed and looked at them. They simply stared back incredulously. "Go do something, eat some fruit or whatever it is you people do … GO!"

"No," Alex stood in the room.

"Senator," they all turned and I stood, I don't know why, but I did.

"Please, excuse us," Alex said looking at me. When everyone had left he turned with a smile.

"What?" I slumped into my chair.

"It's like you're back at Stanford all over again," he chuckled and sat on the edge of my desk.

"Glad you're enjoying my misery Alexander Jr.," I sighed and leaned on my hand. "And I'd say this is more Oxford PhD paper stress." I feigned a smile. "What do you want?"

"I want you to go home and not write this amendment. I have two assistants and plenty of people to do this for me. I'll have Erin – "

"Now wait just a minute Alex – "

"No McKayla, you listen to me … for once," he sighed. "I understand you're trying to fight the good fight and I respect you for that. But I also know that a person has limits, and a breaking point if you go beyond those limits. McKayla … " he looked me straight in the eye, two big right blue eyes staring right through me. "you are reaching your breaking point."

I stared back at him. On the brink of tears, I couldn't respond to him.

"What happened last night?"

I looked down at my hands and began playing with my fingers. I brought my eyes back up to his. Letting out a pathetic whimper, I simply said, "He loves me and I didn't have the courage to say it back … "

This wasn't the first time Alex had seen me like this.

"McKayla, you're too overwrought and overwhelmed with stuff to do. I heard you say Jed told you to take time off, I say do the same for me. You've never taken a sick day or holiday if it wasn't written in and even on federal holidays I've seen you slip in here, so for my sake and yours, just come back in on Monday. Things will be better. Go stay with mom and dad, or go stay at the house in Boston – "

"I can't," I sniffled and furiously grabbed a tissue, knocking a few things over. "I have stuff to do and – "

"I have staff to do that. If you don't go I'll call dad and then mom and then Jed and when it comes to the third one in line, you don't want to still be sitting in this chair."

I sighed and looked over at a photograph of me and Josh I had sitting in a simple, silver frame on my desk. It sat right next to a picture of me, Alex, my sister and other brother when we were all real young. For a moment my mind wandered and then I snapped back and turned to Alex.

"If I go away until Monday will you be able to function?"

"I'm sure I will considering you really have no official position here in my office, you're the un-official chief of staff slash assistant slash speech writer slash editor."

"Okay," I smiled. "I'll see you on Monday."

I wish he had asked me to return on Tuesday … or the next year because I was not ready for what the White House had in store for me that next week.