Cadence surveyed her surroundings in the hotel dining room for the umpteenth time. She felt entirely out of place, knowing she was undressed for the occasion and sensing that more than one of the guests and the staff were eyeballing wondering who she was and what her connection to the better attired Leo was.

Leo, pretending to peruse a menu he was all too familiar with, kept sneaking glances over the table at his daughter. He observed her unease and wondered why she had chosen now to appear out of the woodwork. Leo suspected her sister might have had a hand in that and hoped he wouldn't have long to find out.

It was approaching seven in the evening and yet the dining room was still hiving with activity. The low hum of classical music from unseen speakers and the bright glow from the chandeliers above created an ambience of extravagance. White linen adorned the tables and Cadence had already managed to prove the downside of that by staining her side with a telling pale yellow smudge of the ironically named white wine.

"Good evening," the cheerful voice of Mallory O'Brien called out.

Mallory arrived full of movement, walking on black high heels with a quick step, waving to Cadence and Leo's table with one hand, a slight cock of her head and a wide, bright smile.

Mallory O'Brien embodied beauty, elegance, cheer and charm which made her a natural in her role as a public school teacher. Like her father and sister she possessed an edge, a sternness and stubbornness that she often used when going into battle to defend the rights of public education against private.

Cadence's grey-blue eyes darted up to her sister before turning a knowing gaze on her father.

Leo gestured his hands out in a dismissive gesture. "She was in the area and she asked if you were here," he said as he smiled, "what, you didn't want me to invite your own sister to dinner?"

Cadence smiled back even as she shook her head. "And so the inquisition begins," she commented softly.

"Don't be dramatic," Mallory remarked chirpily as she halted by the table and removed her coat.

She exposed an admirable hourglass figure in a tight, cream sweater and a long, crimson skirt.

As Mallory occupied her seat she leaned down in her sister's direction and remarked, "we are all entitled to ask what you've been up to Cadence. It's been over a year since I've even seen you and your letters weren't exactly detailed."

Mallory turned her attention to the approaching waiter and ordered a glass of wine. She turned a dark look of scrutiny back on her sister when the waiter was gone.

Mallory reached out a hand and grasped a strand of Cadence's unevenly blonde tipped, tawny hair.

"Well let's see, longer hair, you can see the dye at the bottom, you need that cut and coloured Cady Cat," Mallory scorned her.

"Gee thanks mom," Cadence retorted sardonically with a roll of her eyes.

Mallory released the hair and continued to study her sister. "You're thin looking too." She frowned as concern crept into her brown stare. "Cadence what have you been doing?" she queried sternly.

"Oh full title," Cadence continued with the sardonic sneer. "Well Mallory I've been doing a lot, which I need to get back to after this..." She waved her hands outwards at the table. "Reunion, intervention, checking in, whatever this is."

The waiter returned with a glass of wine for Mallory. "Are you ready to order?" he queried.

Leo glanced over at his daughters questioningly. When they got along they were a formidable force but when they fought it was catastrophic and he often left the peace making to Jenny. He found himself wishing for his wife tonight just in case the light bickering turned into a real fight. He realised with a sudden pang that it was the first he had really missed Jenny's presence. With his current career Leo hadn't really had the free time to think of her and truth be told he had embraced the distractions of work to keep Jenny from his mind but now, with both their children before him, she was back to the forefront of his mind.

"Ladies?" Leo queried.

Mallory glanced to the menu briefly. She had shared enough lunches and dinners with her father here to have the just of it. She ordered the house soup for a starter and fish for her main with potatoes on the side.

"Cady you'd better get two courses and a side," Mallory ordered, "you're practically skin and bones."

"I think some malnourished orphans in Africa would beg to differ," Cadence scorned darkly to her menu.

Leo frowned as Cadence moved from indifference to anger. "Cadence that's inappropriate," he chided her quietly. "Just order something please," he added before she could argue with him, "it's on me anyway."

Cadence stared at the menu with a frown but she wasn't really making an effort to take in the choices. "Soup's fine," she muttered, "and then the chicken," she said as she gestured to a chicken based dish on the menu.

The waiter, who had mastered an expression of discretion despite Cadence's comment, nodded and turned his attention to Leo.

Leo ordered quickly and gave the waiter a nod of thanks as he handed his menu over.

Leo placed his hands upon the table and clasped them together. "Mallory, Cadence I want this to be a nice reunion dinner," he said firmly, "it's been too long since the three of us have spent anytime together."

Mallory and Cadence both looked across to their father protestingly.

The table was round and comfortable for four and yet to Leo the gap between him and his children suddenly didn't seem wide enough. He felt horribly alone on his side and entirely defenceless with only a bread bowl and napkin holder for a barrier.

Leo held up one palm to them before they could object. "Cadence we all want to know how you have been and unless you have been carrying out some top secret missions I think you can tell us something. Mallory that doesn't entitle you to pick holes in her choices, it's a conversation not an interview."

Leo lowered his hands and looked at the pair expectantly.

Both women reached for their glasses of wine simultaneously and cast ugly looks outwards to the dining room as they took deep gulps.

"Well this is good," Leo murmured sarcastically, "I'm recently outed as an alcoholic and the moment my daughters dine out with me they choose to drink instead of talk. I'm sure no one is going to make a story out of this."

Cadence snorted into her glass before she could help it. She lowered the glass to the table and regarded her father with a smile.

"Sorry dad," she apologised sincerely. "It's just you're as argumentative and dramatic as we are. I don't think anyone is going to make a story because we're having wine at dinner. Now if Mallory should end up stripping on the table-"

"Or if Cadence should sing and stumble her way out of here," Mallory interrupted loudly.

Cadence's smile widened. "Then there's a story," she concluded.

The two sisters looked to each other and laughed.

Mallory leaned over and embraced her younger sibling quickly. "Cady Cat I've really missed you," she said seriously as she squeezed Cadence close and almost choked her in an odour of flowery perfume. "Honestly, it's been hard without you, I've missed you and your music, and I'm sorry for telling you off but I have been so worried."

Cadence nodded as she raised her arms to embrace Mallory loosely. "I know," she retorted quietly, "but I had to go."

Leo stiffened at those words, knowing he was part of the cause behind the truth of them. He hadn't intervened to stand by her when her thesis had become public knowledge, he hadn't tried to smooth it over and he hadn't done much when she had left, hell he hadn't even really noticed she was gone from her home until three months or so.

"Well you're not going again," Mallory remarked sternly as she broke from the embrace, "we need you here."

Cadence gave a pained look at this. "No you don't, you really don't," she remarked seriously. "Look I was just checking in." She glanced over at their father again. "Because of the separation and the...press," she turned a knowing gaze back on Mallory, "and because you pestered the life out of me." She gestured to Mallory with one hand as her stare flickered back to Leo again. "Daily calls dad, harassment."

Leo smiled. "You've been gone a while Cadence, I'm sure Mal just wanted to ensure you definitely came back. She's right," he added as his stare turned serious, "we do need you. I've missed you and I'm not going to let you dart off when you've only been back for a day."

Cadence looked at them pleadingly. "I don't have a life here, you both have homes and careers here, I gave that all up."

"Well where is your home then?" Mallory pried. "And what's your career?"

Cadence dipped her head as she felt embarrassment crawl through her. Her hand reached out for the wine again and she drained the glass. "I have an ad hoc life," she murmured.

"Well it's time you settled then," Mallory interjected swiftly. "You have a lot of talent and skills Cadence, it won't be hard to put them to use and find you something here."

Cadence suppressed an urge to groan and instead turned the now empty glass about in her hand by its stem. She studied it carefully, watching as gold light beams sparkled and fractured through it.

"I don't want a pity job," Cadence protested.

"No you wanted a White House job," Mallory said as she glanced her father's way, "and yes, you stumbled towards that but you're here now and only twenty-three so let's not talk like you're past it."

Cadence smirked slightly at the word 'stumbled'.

"I think I'm a little young and very under-qualified," she retorted bitterly, "and my past record probably goes against me." She released the sigh this time. "Besides, the press would call it nepotism surely."

"To hell with them," Mallory dismissed brightly.

"Mallory," Leo berated her.

"Look, let's just have a nice dinner like you said," Cadence pleaded.

"Alright," Mallory gave in, "but one last thing, where are you staying tonight?"

Cadence set down the glass. "In a hotel I guess."

"You guess?" Mallory echoed.

"Cadence where are your things?" Leo piped up with a look of concern.

Leo realised how neglectful he had been. Cadence had arrived out of nowhere, barely announced, after over a year of absence, and he had never considered the things Mallory was asking her. He had gone with the assumption that Cadence was somehow alright and able to stand on her own two feet, she was young after all and the scandal of the thesis had long since faded away and in the greater scheme of things it had been minor but, what Leo had pushed aside, was the ugly truth of Cadence's character.

Cadence wasn't always able to stand alone, just as her father had his dark addictions for escapism so did she. She opted for pain and violence, choosing masochism as a form of control. If she felt her life was spiralling sometimes she couldn't take hold of it, sometimes she just blanked it out, moving from distraction to distraction as a means of avoiding the reality. Cadence could be suicidal in more than one way, she would seek out danger as an attempt to punish herself for some imagined wrong doing, or she would harm herself feeling she deserved the pain.

Leo filled with guilt again as he realised he had ignored the possibility that Cadence might have rushed to danger after the thesis' exposure as a means of punishing herself. He had kept loose tabs on her, ensuring himself that she was alive and that if her situation turned dire he would know about it but that wasn't parenting, that was barely more than indifference. Sure she was sitting alive before him but how did he know what she had really went through these past couple of years?

"You can't go again," Leo said sternly. "Mal's right, you're young, you're talented, you need to be near your family and you need to start getting the career you deserve. This thesis business got out of hand and I let it, I'm sorry Cady, I owe you better than that. Jed's in power now, we're secure and I'm going to make amends, I should've stood by you when this happened, when he wasn't secure but..."

"But this is the most important thing you'll ever do," Cadence retorted quietly.

"Your mother told you what I said," Leo remarked as the guilt continued to burn through him.

Cadence nodded. "I understand dad and so does she, better than you think."

Leo was relieved not to have to respond as their starters arrived.

Mallory gestured to her now empty glass and Cadence's. "More wine please," she said.

She regarded her sister and father with a smile. "Alright, we're agreeing on this, Cadence stays, everything else, the job, housing etc. is semantics but she stays, that's what matters. So, we're going to move on from that and be a little happier because this is a good thing."

Cadence frowned at her sister with a cross glint in her gaze. "You're not my teacher Mal," she complained, "you can't give me orders."

"Cadence it's obvious you have no real belongings, income or home and given your skills in life I'm not sure if that's laziness or apathy," Mallory told her sibling off with the tone she reserved for her pupils, "but you need an intervention to sort it and dad and I are going to make that happen so suck it up and accept it because if you try to escape dad will use the Secret Service to bring you back."

"That's sounding a little like kidnapping and imprisonment," Cadence chided.

"Just a little, Mal ease up on the threats," Leo murmured. "And let's not suggest the Secret Service should be used to forcefully detain family members of mine, the press and your president might take a dim view on that."

Mallory smiled angelically at her father. "I was just joking although I think they could make an exception."

Cadence, accepting defeat temporarily, allowed the dinner to wind on in a more pleasant manner.

By the end of their meal Cadence felt a little better, perhaps because of the pleasure of a proper feed and a few glasses of wine or maybe it was because she hadn't seen her family in so long. She chalked it to a combination of reasons and chose to relax and welcome the warm glow filling her.

When Mallory insisted Cadence spend the night at her home she didn't argue too hard about it either. She simply said it was only going to be for the night and left the matter at that.

At the end of the meal the sisters dutifully thanked their father for paying before hugging him goodbye and departing for Mallory's.

Leo watched his children go with a sense of pride. Sure they were no more perfect than he was but for all their flaws they were damn close to it. He and Jenny might have parted ways but he was so grateful they had made and raised such fine daughters before doing so. Feeling more at ease knowing that at least for the evening Cadence was in Mallory's care and couldn't get up to too much trouble under her sister's watchful eye, he retreated to his hotel room with a sense of happiness and relief.

Leo knew it would be short lived, he could woken at any point during the night depending on how the world spun and the woes of mankind would thrust him back into work mode as he rushed to the president's side to deal with a new disaster. Until then he could rejoice in the role of a father and rest easy knowing that at last his girls were together and safe under one roof.

The morning began just after six, a later than usual start for Leo who was often used to being called around five to get the briefing of the day's expected events. Time differences across the world meant the realm of the president never stopped, so long as people lived and breathed there was always something happening.

What had alarmed Jed slightly upon coming to office but hadn't really shocked Leo was learning how many near disasters and troubles the general public were protected from by the office. How many almost wars had been avoided without the American people even knowing of a skirmish. How often doomsday had threatened to appear on the horizon before being diverted for another day by the actions of glib tongued politicians, the FBI, the CIA, or the armed forces.

It was surprising the numbers of battles fought with words rather than weapons and how many wars had started over a slip of the tongue or being avoided by a smooth talker. Wars were waged on the battlefield for sure but also in Congress.

This morning's current issue was gun control. A senator in Texas had raised his ugly head by publicly condemning the bill passed on tightening the sales of automatic firearms. That was old news except now apparently he had built from this platform and was running with it. He had scorned the president as a liberal who had no respect for the majority of the people because they had none for him, he had then cited the uncomfortable truth that the public had wanted the Republican party in and the president was without a mandate. Josiah Bartlet had been the choice of the Electoral College, not the people.

Jed was starting his day in foul form. It was obvious what he wanted to do, trot his Texan VP out to smooth over the situation. What was more obvious was that was not what Vice President Hoynes wanted to do.

John had delivered a crucial vote on restricting the sale of automatic firearms but it had been more of a self-serving political manoeuvrer on his part than a gracious offer of help to his President. Overall, John wasn't a supporter of harsh gun restrictions and he certainly wasn't going to be seen chiding someone from his own state over it.

John was meant to deliver Texas for the White House but because Jed had been so openly mocking of the gold star state and its 'Wild West' ways they had lost it. The loss was one of the reasons why Jed dismissed John and so often grew angry with him.

Leo stood attentively in the Oval Office as Jed complained about the Vice President.

"He'll do what he's told Leo," Jed grumbled.

"He's not a child," Leo reminded him calmly.

Outside the morning was bright and sunny with a slight chill in the air but inside the atmosphere was stormy as Jed's anger pooled into the room

Jed frowned over at Leo. "He's a Texan, he's the only one for this job and damn it, he's going to earn his bread around here."

"His bread sir?"

Jed's eyes widened with rage. "Damn it Leo I'm cranky, I haven't slept well, I need coffee and I don't want to hear about some cowboy suited senator trying to make waves about guns like he's some Indians to defend his land against!"

Leo placed his hands behind his back and took a step forward. "Do you ever think it's that kind of talk that made you lose Texas?" he queried politely.

Jed pointed at him crossly. "Texas was John's responsibility, his main responsibility and he messed it up!"

Jed turned from Leo and stormed to the heavy wooden door of the office, flinging it open dramatically to Mrs. Landingham's domain.

"Mrs. Landingham can I get some coffee?" he snapped sharply.

Mrs. Landingham looked up at him with a smile that was sweetness and light but a sharp blue gaze that promised scorn and regret for whomever challenged her. "Certainly sir but why won't you use the intercom to talk to me?" she queried politely.

"It's more efficient opening the door," he grumbled.

"No it's not sir, just admit you can't use it."

"Mrs. Landingham not now, just get me coffee," he complained.

"Men in the morning, never pleasant or polite. I'll get your coffee and maybe you'll be less snippy."

"I'm not snippy," he retorted as he turned and charged back into the office, pulling the door shut behind him. "Am I snippy?" he queried as he looked to Leo for validation.

"At times sir."

"You're as bad as her," Jed grumbled as he gestured to the door with one hand.

Leo knew it was time to change the topic, at least for now. "Sir, can we put aside the matter of Texas for a moment?"

"Well Leo I wish we could but the American people might get mad if Texas vanished from the map," Jed jested grimly.

Jed strode back to the heavy set wooden desk of the president and took a seat in the black, leather chair. It was the crème de la crème of executive offices, everything was shiny and expensive. The desk was a work of art with its ornate carvings, a reminder of the wealth of the office whilst its heavy weight demonstrated how the president could not be easily moved. The seat was comfortable enough but no lazy boy, a reminder that it was not an office for relaxing in but one for someone to sit up straight and be seen as serious.

For Jed it was more than an office, he spent so long in here he considered it the home of the president, the residency was Jed's home, at least for now. It was how he separated one role from another. It was the only way to stay sane and try not to let personal feelings dictate professional decisions. Of course thinking of personal issues with Hoynes was making an unbiased decision pretty damn hard now for Jed.

Figuring he was better at least waiting for his coffee before he threw Hoynes under the bridge as much out of spite as political need, Jed decided to welcome Leo's change of topic.

"Alright Leo, what do you want to discuss?"

"Cadence."

Leo was straight to the point. He had hoped to ask Jed about this when he was in a good mood but it was obvious now that the day was only going to worsen, so he had to take his chance now.

"Bright girl, good to see her back."

Leo smiled, hearing Jed speak positively of her made him feel a little easier about what he was about to ask.

"That's part of the reason I didn't get much sleep," Jed lamented. "Zoe was hounding me about her for over an hour, she's very eager to see her again."

Leo's smile warmed at this news. "They were close," he murmured.

Jed smiled and nodded. "Zoe also looked up to her." He waved Leo on. "What did you want to discuss about her?"

"She had plans for the White House, lofty and a little misguided with her youth but she was ambitious," Leo explained. "She still is and I think it was and still is a good career choice for her. It's just she needs guidance and-"

"You want me to get her a job," Jed guessed.

Leo studied his boss trying to gage his thoughts on the matter.

"Well sir I mean is it possible for her to apply for one without it being seen as a favour?" Leo pried.

Jed looked thoughtful for a moment.

The intercom buzzed. "Coffee sir," Mrs. Landingham's polite, cheery voice called through it.

Jed eyed the box warily and reached for a button he hoped would answer the call. The line went dead.

"Damn technology," Jed grumbled.

Leo moved to the door and opened it to grant a staff member entry with a singular cup of coffee.

"He still doesn't how to use that intercom does he?" Mrs. Landingham queried calmly. She kept her gaze on her notes.

"Nope," Leo retorted.

"Well no cookie until he does," Mrs. Landingham mused.

The staff member delivered the coffee and retreated from the room.

Jed took a sip and welcomed the heat and caffeine. He continued to look thoughtful as he took a second sip.

"She was on Hoynes' team," he recalled.

"Yes sir but don't hold that against her," Leo pleaded.

Jed turned up at Leo with a smile. "Not at all Leo, in fact maybe that could be the key. We could use someone friendly on his team."

Leo raised his greyed eyebrows slightly. "Sir are you suggesting my daughter should be a spy for us on Hoynes' team?"

Jed's smile widened. "An asset Leo," he corrected, "an asset for us."

"She didn't leave Hoynes' team on good terms," Leo reminded him.

Jed laughed. "I know, that makes it better," he added with a devious curve to his smile. "She could be an asset for us and hopefully a thorn in John's side too."

"That's a little exploitive of you sir and a touch evil."

"Well no one can accuse me of doing her a favour then, can they Leo?"

Leo gave a small smile in answer. "I guess not sir but is there even a post on his team she's qualified for and what if Hoynes doesn't agree?"

"I tell you what Leo, arrange for you and her to meet me in oh..." Jed glanced at his watch. "An hour's time, will that do?"

"Here sir?"

Jed look thoughtful again. "Sure."

Leo nodded. "Okay sir and thank you."

So this fic begins loosely alongside the middle of Season 1, as I want to bring something new to it I'll be adding my own story points to it as well because I don't want to feel like I'm writing a novelisation of the show. I'm hoping to bring some more Mallory and by extension Mallory and Sam to it because I quite liked them, I love Danny and C.J too, not so sure with Josh, I love Joey every time's she on screen and I'm re-working my way through the show to recall the awesomeness of Amy (so far I can't gel with Donna, never could but I respect the fandom) so we'll see.

At any rate it's more about Leo, John Hoynes and Jed Bartlet and their relationships with one another and my OC.

Many thanks for the attention so far, I really appreciate it and I appreciate all comments. Hopefully you'll continue to find this interesting and entertaining.

I guess I should mention Mandy won't be in this fic, even though she didn't bother me as a character she didn't impact on me as one either, she just struggled to add to the story for me and she's out of it pretty quickly so I didn't want to include her.

Also, in case some of you don't know, I'm a Brit so please forgive any terminology I might get wrong I do my best :-)