DISCLAIMER: In this part I made up a last name for Margaret because I do not believe her last name was ever disclosed, if so, I apologize for getting it wrong. 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 10: Monday, April 24, 2000

I waltzed into the Capitol Building refreshed and ready for action. I had flown across the nation to California to stay with my older brother, John James, whom we called JJ, the pediatrician and his vineyard-heiress wife, Kate (whom I loved). I tanned myself in sunny California for four days and played with my nieces and nephews while all Hell was breaking loose in DC. Thus the first thing my brother said to me when I walked into the office was, "In my office now, please."

"Okay … " I muttered, set my briefcase down, took off my jacket and walked in. Ryan the chief of staff was there also. "What's up?"

"First, glad you could join us at oh, 12 o'clock today. Second, two positions just opened up on the FEC – "

"Wait, you're the one who had your secretary book me a flight for this morning."

"I'm over it. The FEC, McKayla."

"Did they resign?"

"Yeah."

"Well that's never happened before … "

"I know."

"Well you're going to give the party leader your recommendations right?"

"Yes, but I need to know what the White House is planning."

"Well considering every president before this one has just gone with what the Senate has chosen, I don't see why we're having this conversation."

"I'm saying this because I think there's a possibility that they have their own people in mind."

"No. And even if Jed wanted to, Leo wouldn't let him do something so stupid."

"That's what I thought until I got word that Josh was sent on Leo McGarry's orders to come down here and slap some guys around."

"You're joking," I looked at Ryan. He shook his head 'no'. "Well, whatever, life goes on – "

"If you were to recommend two people, who would it be?" Ryan asked.

"Spencer Thompson and Patty Calhoun."

Neither said anything. There was a knock.

"Not now, Mary – "

"Mack, it's Toby Ziegler and he said that he needs to speak with you immediately."

I looked at Alex who threw his hands up and sat back down at his desk. I rushed out and to the phone.

"Hi, what's up and why is Josh up here making recommendations to the FEC?"

"Um, he can explain that to you when you come down here this instant."

"What's wrong? What happened?" my heart sank.

"What have you heard about a piece of paper floating around the White House?"

"Nothing, I've been in California for the past four days. Why? Is it bad?"

"Couldn't think of a worse scenario right now if you asked."

"Who does this make look bad?"

Silence.

"Everyone."

"Give me fifteen minutes." I slammed the phone down and turned to Erin whose eyes were wide. "Erin, ever been to the West Wing?"

"No."

"I guess today's your day. Drop everything and come with me, you'll be my official assistant from now on."

- - - -

"Ginger, where is he?" I asked as I took off my jacket and handed it to Erin. She was

beyond flustered.

"I'll let him know you're here," she knocked on Toby's office door.

"Not now Ginger!"

"But Mack's here."

"Fine."

"He'll see you."

I turned to Erin who was still a little shell-shocked after having crossed the fine line between the common White House area and West Wing.

"Ginger, take care of Erin, please."

"Sure Mack."

"Thanks," I walked in and closed the door. I was a little surprised to see CJ and Josh present also. I avoided Josh's eyes and looked at Toby. "So … what's this piece of paper people are panicking about?"

"Mack," Toby said, "how much do you know about Mandy Hampton?"

"Um, I know that she is a professional political consultant and that she used to work for Lloyd Russell before you guys … " I paused. "And she doesn't like me very much." I quickly caught Josh's eye but looked back at Toby.

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

Toby handed me a thick packet. I began leafing through and then shot my head up and stared wide eyed at Toby.

"You're joking right."

"No."

"CJ?" she simply shrugged. "Is this seriously what I think it is?"

"A playbook on how to beat us," Josh muttered.

"Has she never heard of covering her ass?" I couldn't read it; I would have blown a gasket. "Who has this?"

"I don't know," CJ sighed. "I'm asking everyone in the press corps."

"Do it quietly," Josh advised.

"Yeah," CJ stood and then walked out. Toby followed suit and closed the door behind him.

Josh looked over at me. I sighed and threw the memo on the couch.

"You know I went away for the past four days to get away from the stress."

"Where did you go? I tried calling your apartment."

"California. JJ lives out there."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah."

He seemed to be collecting his thoughts.

"Mack, we need to talk about – "

"Josh, not now," I sighed. "I can't now. Right now I have to help dig you guys out of the mud. I want to talk, but not now."

"Mack unless we talk about it now, we're never going to talk!" Josh raised his voice as he forced a laugh. "You know I don't think it was too surprising, what I said. I simply told you how I felt and I think that if we're going to be in a relationship then we need to communicate! The fact that the only thing you could think of saying was 'I care about you too' was really pathetic and quite frankly really hurt – "

"Well you really don't know anything – "

"I know that I'm not the first guy you've run away from because he actually cared about you!" I looked at him shocked. "Mack I know that you were almost engaged and that you've had more relationships than anyone else in DC! I know you're afraid of commitment and actually having to give a little effort! Well if you're not planning on actually getting serious with someone, you best tell whoever you're screwing over before you start dating! I really thought we were going to have a great, happy future but – "

"Josh you know nothing! You don't know anything about me! You don't know what it was like walking around completely paranoid for years after I was stalked! I had anxiety, depression; I was taking prescription medicine to help my anxiety it was getting so bad!" I was nearly in tears. "You want to know the reason why I work for my brother and probably will my entire life? Because I only trust my family! I may have commitment issues, but they all stem from my issues with trust! So I'm sorry if I'm not as vocal about my feelings or anxious to jump on the 'I love you' bandwagon, but that's me – take it or leave it!" I walked out of the office and slammed the door behind me. Donna, Bonnie, Ginger, Kathy, and Erin were all staring at me. "I'll be right back … "

"Mack, no," Donna called after me.

"What?"

"Mack, please stay cool – "

"I'm not going to kill her – "

"Mack, I don't think it's a good idea that you go near her."

I continued walking. Mandy was drinking a cup of coffee and leaning on a wall. When she saw me coming towards her she immediately set her cup down and stood straight.

"Mack, please – "

"What were you thinking!" I yelled. It was too personal for me to think clearly. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO US! YOU THINK WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS! WHY DIDN'T YOU BRING THIS UP AS SOON AS YOU WERE HIRED – "

"Mack, please," she looked like she was going to cry. "I never meant for this to happen! I was writing for the opposition – "

"HOW DID SOMEONE GET THIS?"

"They took it off my hard drive … " she pleaded. "Mack, I'm asking you to please have just a little understanding – "

"THIS IS MY FAMILY YOU'RE COMPROMISING!"

"I know – I just … "

"YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE US LOOK GOOD NOT – "

"Mack," Sam walked out of the Roosevelt Room.

"Go away Sam – "

"No," he said firmly. "Mandy, go back to your office, Mack, we're talking whether you like it or not. Come with me."

We shuffled off to the Mural Room and sat down on a couch.

"I can't talk long because I'm in a meeting now, but I need you to collect yourself and do your job, which is not bitching out some person, whom by the way is still an employee of this administration, in public. We are all hurt, but you must move on. You know that's what Leo is going to say. So for my sake, yours, Mandy's and everyone else's, just take a chill pill, go see Leo, and then help us try to fix this."

I sighed and let a tear fall.

"I'm so lost right now … " I stared out the window as rain poured down. "How can I help anyone if I can't even help myself?" I turned back to Sam. "I really hurt Josh didn't I."

He opened his mouth to say something, but then reconsidered and simply said, "Yeah … " He looked down uneasily.

"I suppose I better help while I still have some wits about me," I muttered and stood.

"You'll be fine. And if you need anyone to talk to I'm here," he kissed my forehead and walked out.

I walked over to Leo's office. Margaret looked like she was ready to have a cow.

"Is everything okay?"

"This is it, Mack. I'm done," she scowled.

"What?" I frowned.

"You heard me, I'm done. It's just a matter of time before the FBI comes in here and drags me off in cuffs."

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously and raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?"

"I caused the email server to shut down – well it really wasn't me. See my friend Lynette from the Fitness Council, she sent me this email about the calorie count in the raisin muffin – "

"I love those – "

"Well it's WRONG!"

"No – "

"Yes!" she leaned over and began whispering with intensity. "So I thought I'd do a good deed and warn everyone of this misfortune. But of course the one good thing I try to do to help humanity and it comes and kicks me in the rear – "

"What?"

"Yeah, this secretary in Liaison's office pressed reply and caused a back flood of emails. So now the email system is completely out of sync, sending and resending and clogging all our email boxes with the correct calorie count of the raisin muffin."

"Go figure … " I sighed. "And you think the Feds are gonna bust in here any second?"

"I know they are," she looked fearful. "Last time something like this happened at the White House someone got a profile written up about them and it was documented at the Bureau."

"Margaret, we all have profiles," I replied as if consoling a child.

"Yeah, but now mine is going to say more than yours – "

"What? In an effort to rectify the raisin muffin dispute, Margaret Palmer, on the 24th of April in the second millennium, caused irreparable damage to the email pipelines in her effort to inform her colleagues of their erroneous mistake of the true calorie count of the raisin muffin."

She stared back at me.

"You're mocking me."

"No. Well, yeah, just a little. The last part, but I really do like the raisin muffins," Leo's door opened and Toby walked out. "Thanks for letting me know the calorie count is wrong. What is it by the way?"

"123 calories as opposed to 145."

"You clogged the White House email for 22 calories?"

"Well, I – "

"Margaret!" Leo yelled from his office. "I'll throw a muffin at you if you don't stop with this ridiculousness soon! Mack, come in."

I closed the door behind me.

"I yelled at Mandy," I said shamefully.

"I heard."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," he leaned on his desk. "We'll get through this Mack. It's not the worst by far and you know it. It's just really hard right now because it's personal. But you'll get through it and so will this administration. Okay?"

"Yeah … "

"So what's your game plan?"

I looked at him. There was nothing I could do as far as PR, what was done was done and we couldn't steal back what we lost. I sighed and forced a smile.

"Focus on what we have left such as our nominations to the FEC."

He simply nodded. "Okay."

"Okay," I turned and walked out. Margaret was still stressing over the email. "Maybe they have underground railroad systems for people like you Margaret, to escape – "

"Mack!" she yelled.

I went over to Josh's office feeling a little better after having spoken to Margaret and Leo. I leaned in the doorway and knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock," I gave a half smile.

"Hey," he muttered. "What's up?"

"If I were to nominate anyone to the FEC I would say Spencer Thompson and Patty Calhoun."

"I said Patty and John Bacon."

"Oh yeah, him … "

"Mack what do you want?" he raised an eyebrow.

I walked in and closed the door.

"Josh I am truly sorry for the way I've made you feel, but you have to understand where I am coming from. I have never felt this way about anyone before," I sat down across from him. "Do you honestly want to know why I couldn't answer you last week? It's because I've never actually loved someone I was in a relationship with."

"But … you were almost engaged … "

"Hence my refusal."

He sat back. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm asking for a second chance. I'm asking for another shot at being a good partner in this relationship."

"So you do love me."

I smiled. "I do."

There was a knock.

"Come in!" Josh yelled.

Mandy entered and I got up. Turning to her I sighed and said, "I'm sorry".

- - - -

As the day came to an end and the moral dropped in the West Wing so did our polling numbers. It was late and I couldn't find anyone. Josh, Toby, CJ, and Sam were all MIA. I ran over to Donna's desk where Erin was stationed.

"Erin, have you see Josh?"

"He's in Mr. McGarry's office."

"You can call him Leo, you know."

"It feels weird. Sort of like hands in meatloaf – it just feels cold and uneasy."

I frowned. "Okay … I hope you're enjoying your new position."

"Very much so. I enjoy watching Sam walk by," she smiled.

I caught Ginger's eye.

"Give up while you still have a chance," I smiled and walked over to Leo's. I quietly opened the door from the main hall, there was silence, only Sam saw me enter. Leo walked in and began speaking very excited and energized.

"Listen up, our ground game isn't working. We're gonna put the ball in the air. If we're gonna walk into walls I want us running into them full speed!" he stood behind his desk.

"What do you say?" Josh asked.

"You can start by telling the Hill the President has made his nominees to the FEC," everyone was taken back by Leo's command. "And we're gonna lose some of these battles. And we may even lose the White House. But we're not gonna be threatened by issues. We're gonna put them front and center. We're gonna raise the level of public debate in this country and let that be our legacy. That sound alright to you Josh?"

" I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States."

"I serve at the pleasure of the President," CJ smiled.

"I serve at the pleasure of President Bartlet," he looked over at me and it was the my presence was realized. They all looked at me.

I made eye contact with Josh and smiled. "I serve at the pleasure of my godfather, Jed Bartlet."

"Toby?" Leo asked.

"I serve at the pleasure of the President."

"Good … Well let's get in the game!"

I continued smiling at Josh as everyone began leaving and walked over to him and despite being in Leo's office reached up and kissed him.

"Of for goodness sake kids, get a room."

"Yes sir," I looked over at Leo and I knew he couldn't help but smile.