Resignation

This chapter, while it won't reveal much, will probably make you happy. And here's a guarantee: chapter 18 will reveal a question you have had from the first few chapters. Enjoy :-)


At first Toby was speechless. He looked around him at the room full of his co-workers and the President of the United States. He glanced over at Margaret, who was standing in front of his TV.

"Move," he ordered her simply, rather than answering the question they had just posed. Margaret silently obeyed, and the screen was clear. Leo's image waved at the camera, and winked at Toby.

Toby muttered something silent, then turned to face the crowd that had squeezed their way into his bedroom.

"Well Toby? Are you going to answer our question?" the President queried.

Toby sighed, and began talking. "You are all here…because you misjudge me and my decisions. You are here because Leo McGary got it into his head that he could cleverly trap me into returning to work. And he has brought you all here to force me back into the West Wing. But the point that you miss is—"

"Toby," started the President, "Could you give us the short version?" Heads around the room nodded in agreement.

"I have not been to work for a few days simply because…simply stated, I…look, as much as I…I—you…I appreciate that you all care enough to come here to me. But…personal matters that I cannot describe to you…have…forced me to…go home all of you, and it…it will be all…look, you're not going to convince me to come back to the West Wing. My time there is…finished for now. I…this is too complicated…"

"Toby, what happened to the short version?" queried Sam. And it was at this moment that Toby was saved by the bell—or rather the cell phone ringtone.

"One moment," Jed hastily spoke, and answered his phone. "Good news or bad?" he jabbed angrily. "Really? Yes, ironically, they all are. They'll be happy to hear it."

He hung up quickly. "Good news everyone—Pedro Palachino has been indicted by a grand jury. Soon we'll have him convicted." Everyone started to cheer as they thought of Josh's assaulter at last brought to justice, but they were silenced by a loud yell from Toby.

"What?" he blasted at the top of his lungs.

"A guy named Palachino planted a bomb in Josh's office."

"No, he most certainly did not. All of you get out of here, I need to use the phone."

No one moved.

"NOW!" Toby screamed. "We can talk tomorrow at work. Right now I have a private call to make."

Everyone gasped.

"Then you'll be there tomorrow, Toby?" asked Leo, coming into the room at last.

"Yes. Now get out everyone and go home."

"I seem to remember firing you Toby. You can't just come back."

"Yes I can. Now leave!"

Leo chuckled. "Let the man have his privacy," he started, and led them all out of the room. A major victory had just been won.