Cadence was suspicious as to what her father had been discussing with the President. Here she was back in Mrs. Landingham's domain awaiting an audience with the leader of the free world and just under twelve hours since Mallory had talked about her father using influence to get her a job.

"Cookie dear?"

Mrs. Landingham's voice pulled the young woman from her suspicious thoughts and she looked over to the executive secretary. The woman had the cookie jar open and was gesturing to it with one hand and a smile. "I got you those raisin ones you mentioned."

Cadence's eyes widened slightly at this as she was immediately touched by the gesture. She strode over slowly, conscious of Mallory's loaned black skirt bunching up slightly on her rear. Cadence wondered at the fitting, she and Mallory were a similar height and weight but Cadence did have wider hips. She hoped the pantyhose were at least as complimentary as they felt.

Cadence plucked out a cookie and smiled down at the woman with gratitude. "Thank you Mrs. Landingham."

The woman granted her another smile as she closed the jar. "No trouble dear."

"None for me Mrs. Landingham?" Leo pried, his tone tinged with satire.

"Now Leo, you know you have to earn it," the woman chided him cheerfully. She plucked up a pen and starting writing.

The door to the Oval Office opened and the President's aide Charlie Young stepped out. He closed the door behind him and regarded the group with a polite smile.

"He's ready for you now," he addressed Leo with a nod. He took up a position to the side of the door with his hands behind his back like a soldier of the guard at attention.

"Still hasn't learned to use the intercom," Mrs. Landingham scorned to her notes.

"Thanks Charlie," Leo said. "Charlie, this is my daughter Cadence," he introduced. "Cadence this is the President's personal aide Charlie Young."

Charlie gave Cadence a bright smile. "A pleasure to meet you ma'am." His voice was quiet but sincerely welcoming.

Cadence looked back at the man with intrigue, he was similar in age to her give or take a few years and it gave her hope to see someone so young in such a prestigious role.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," she retorted. "Although I'd prefer to be Cady, Mr. Young."

His smile widened. "And I would prefer Charlie."

Cadence smiled back at him. "Alright we're agreed, you're Charlie and I'm Cady. I guess it's good we agreed on those names or it might have gotten confusing."

Leo suppressed an urge to roll his eyes at Cadence's teasing. He gestured to his daughter and then to the formidable door with one hand. "Let's go," he said.

Cadence took a quick bite from the cookie, ignoring her father's look of scorn as she chewed down on it. She swallowed hard and wiped the crumbs from her mouth with one hand. "I haven't had breakfast," she murmured.

"Your sister's right, you need to eat better. A cookie is not breakfast," Leo scolded. "Let's go already."

Leo stepped up to the door and opened it. He halted after taking just a couple of steps inside and stared wordlessly forward.

There was a loud crunch from behind Leo. Cadence's loud biting on the cookie broke the silence.

"Morning Leo," John Hoynes' calm voice greeted quietly.

Leo frowned as a soft splutter and the sound of choking on crumbs sounded behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Cadence frantically brushing cookie crumbs off the loose fitted, long sleeved, cream shirt her sister had loaned her.

Leo turned forward again and glanced from John to Jed. "Sir, are we interrupting something?" he queried, his tone verging on bluntness as he was too surprised to sound polite about it.

"No Leo," Jed retorted calmly. He waved Leo in. "Both of you come in, unless Cady needs Charlie to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre," he added sardonically with a slight raise of his eyebrows and a questioning glance past Leo.

Leo stepped into the room feeling like he had been ambushed.

Cadence followed, tensing as she heard Charlie close the door behind her. Just like her father she felt ambushed only she wasn't entirely sure who by.

Leo stepped to one side exposing his daughter to Jed and John's gazes. Cadence, feeling more than ever that her sister's borrowed clothes were ill-fitting and unsuitable for her, summoned up her confidence and gave them a harmless smile.

"Good morning Mr. President, Mr. Vice President," she greeted them calmly.

Cadence glanced from one to the other, barely glimpsing John before she let her stare stay on Jed. She had that feeling again of being in the office not of a familiar family friend but a powerful figure who was all but a stranger to her.

"Good morning Cady," Jed greeted politely.

"Good morning," John retorted without the warmth of Jed.

They were both standing, Jed to the left in front of the table and John to the right lingering near the gold and cream diamond patterned chair he had been occupying until Leo had entered. It was almost as if Jed was defending the position of the presidential table from John.

"Cady I'm going to get right to the point," Jed said. "We have a problem."

Cadence focused on Jed as he spoke, forcing herself to ignore the distraction just out of her peripheral vision on the right. She had to be professional, this was the Oval Office for God's sakes. She could smell a whiff of oak and amber, a familiar aftershave that was pushing at memories long subdued. She told herself that maybe it was Jed's but she didn't think he was wearing any and her father's was subtle and so familiar she didn't even really take it as a brand anymore, it was simply the scent of her father.

"There is a senator in Texas, one Senator Matt Whyte, a gun nut who's decided to publicly bash me and my liberal ways," Jed sneered with a wide, bitter smile.

John tautened slightly at the term 'gun nut' but said nothing.

Leo murmured, "oh boy." He could see that Jed's form had only worsened since earlier and that he was verging into one of his sarcastic variations of anger. Leo would never say it to his face but sometimes Jed had a habit of going into a derisive, dismissive ramble that could turn into a stubborn, loud rant to which he would hear no rebuttal.

"You see Cady," Jed continued, attempting to don a more formal tone for the young woman, "we passed a bill not too long ago adding restrictions to the sales of automatic firearms-"

"I know," Cadence interrupted softly. "I know some of what Senator Whyte has said too."

"That the Republicans won the real vote and I'm in without any power to punish the public's choice in party with my gun laws," Jed grumbled as his expression darkened.

Cadence nodded. "Yes sir."

"Are you aware that John here secured our vote to pass this bill?" Jed queried as he turned on John almost viciously, thrusting a hand in his direction accusingly.

John resisted the urge to retaliate. He had taken full advantage of the bill, the senators he had turned to it had sung his praises not Jed's and of course Jed was making him pay for it.

Cadence nodded again. "I am," she answered carefully. She wondered where all this was going as she refrained from looking in John's direction.

"Do you know then how John picks and chooses which way to feel about guns depending on the senator?" Jed snapped.

"That's not true," John interrupted angrily.

Jed faced him down with a glower. "Really, you sway five to restrict automatic guns' sales but a senator from Texas speaks out about gun control and you won't go to quieten him down?" Jed accused.

"That is not how it is," John retorted heatedly. "A minor restriction on certain arms is a gesture but a major restriction on all arms is too extreme and you know I'm against that," he added pointedly as his pale eyes flared with rage.

"Fellas where are we going with this?" Leo interjected. He couldn't fathom why Jed had him and his daughter here to witness a spat between Jed and John.

Jed returned his attention to Cadence. "Cady do you have a solution to this?" he queried.

Cadence was stunned by the question. Nervous, she was clenching the cookie so tightly it began to crumble to the floor. She glanced down in surprise and then up again apologetically.

Jed was looking back at her with disappointment and a measure of pity. It was a look Cadence had grown to despise after receiving it so many times from her mother and her professors in the wake of her thesis and dropping out of her studies.

Cadence tossed off her nerves, telling herself things could never get worse than they had been.

"A visit to Texas," she answered plainly, "both of you together. If you go alone sir," she continued quickly as she saw the protest budding in Jed's eyes, "you are undermining the Vice President and if he goes alone people will think you don't want to."

"I don't," Jed answered bluntly. He was regarding Cadence with interest despite his objections.

"Sir your support there is already weak," she reminded him, "you lost Texas. Use this to win it back. Plus, a united front in the Vice President's home state will quash the rumours that you two don't get along."

Jed raised his pale eyebrows slightly at this. "You've heard those rumours?" he murmured.

Leo cracked a dry smile at this. He was observing his daughter silently, knowing that this was Jed's way of testing her worth for the White House. He didn't appreciate his superior's tactics but he was certainly admiring how his daughter was handling it so far.

Cadence met Jed's gaze with a confident calm in her own. "Sir I was there when you asked John...the Vice President," she corrected quickly, "to join your ticket. Think of it this way, one day of embracing Texas is all it takes for you to crush this senator and starts your move to winning the support of a large state. You need to embrace all your people," she added firmly, "even the ones in the South who wear silly hats."

Jed tensed at this comment whilst John gave a small smile. It was probably the closest to a telling off Jed had received in front of John.

"It's a good gesture," Cadence continued, still sanguine in her manner, "and it doesn't cost either of you much. You can also put a positive spin on the Vice President being a Texan who supported the limitation of sales of automatic firearms. He has met people halfway with that, it's not an aggressive stance on gun control, just a sensible start. Also," she added with a smile, "I heard Texans know how to make a good steak."

Jed's blue gaze sparkled with approval. "A sensible start," he repeated, "you're good with words Cady." He turned an admonishing stare back on John. "You should have used her better on your campaign John."

John, not entirely sure he was happy with Cadence's plan or why the President had asked her for her input, stayed silent and looked at Jed with a subdued irritation.

Jed turned back to Cadence. "Well I believe in second chances. Congratulations on passing your interview Cady."

Cadence blinked and glanced from the President to her father in confusion. Leo was smiling. "Sir?"

"You're going to apply for a role on John's team, interview and, unless there's something I'm unaware of, you'll be successful."

"Um doing what sir?" Cadence quipped. She felt her anxiety return. The cookie crumbled and mulched together as her palms started to sweat. She wouldn't dare look John's way, far too afraid of what she might see there.

John for his part was managing an iron expression of calm though he had turned tense and a frown was threatening to pull at his mouth.

"Well if John has any sense PR. Oh and Cady," Jed raised a finger to her and shook it, "don't be writing anymore essays comparing us to Roman dictators."

"Emperors sir," Cadence corrected, "unelected ones," she felt her ears burn pink with embarrassment, "but I take your point, I won't."

Jed smiled and nodded. "Alright you can go now, you too John. I have Sam and Josh coming now, no doubt with more good news for a morning. Oh and John," he looked at the VP sternly, "this Texas thing is Cady's plan so she goes too."

John hid his emotion from his face as he looked back at his long time rival with a mask of indifference and nodded. "Yes Mr. President."

John avoided looking Leo's way as he headed for the door. He stopped and gestured with one hand for Cadence to go first.

Cadence reached for the handle, her palms made it slippery and she fumbled for it. Frustrated and eager to leave she pushed it with more force than necessary.

"Ouch!" Charlie's voice called out in pain as he was smacked with the full force of the door he was reaching for.

"Oh shit," Cadence exclaimed before she could help it.

"Cadence step outside of this prestigious office before you swear," Leo reproved her.

"I think the situation warranted it dad," Cadence grumbled as she tried to move round the door without opening it further, terrified of doing more damage with it.

John stepped forward, extending his arm over her and reaching his palm out to the ajar door.

Cadence felt his body heat at her back and glanced over her shoulder before she could help it. He was so close, if she raised her hand back she could brush it against his coal grey jacket. Her throat turned dry as she stared at his smart attire, her blue-grey eyes darting up to his cotton shirt and red and blue striped tie.

John wasn't looking at her. He was staring forward as he pushed open the door and widened the gap.

"Charlie are you alright?" the jovial voice of Josh called in between snickers.

Cadence turned ahead at the voice and grimaced before she exited the room.

Charlie was rubbing at his nose with a wince, his brown eyes were burning as much with pain as with annoyance at Sam and Josh's unhelpful laughter.

Only John's stoic Secret Service agent was emotionless to the display. He stood near the doorway, blank faced and still, cut from the same black and white uniformed cloth as most of the other agents, at least those not attempting to blend in.

"Is it bleeding dear?" Mrs. Landingham piped up as she gazed up at the aide with mild concern. "Do you need a tissue?"

Charlie rubbed at his nose, his fingers drifting down to his nostrils to test the area for blood. "No thanks, it's fine, just a bit sore," he murmured.

"And here's the culprit," Josh said accusingly as he turned to face the doorway. His dark brown eyes widened at the sight of Cadence before he mollified the stare for the Vice President.

Josh always felt uncomfortable around the VP, even though he put on a show to suggest otherwise. He had worked on John Hoynes' campaign steadily before jumping ship at Leo's behest and leaving John in the lurch for Bartlet's campaign. The fact that Hoynes' campaign had capsized soon after was not entirely a coincidence, at least Josh didn't think so. Seeing Cadence lingering near the Vice President filled Josh with something worse than discomfort, it was an ugly sensation of loathing he struggled to suppress. It brought back memories that at two years old weren't exactly too hard to conjure up.

Josh pushed his hands into his grey trouser pockets and blinked as he stared at the pair. "Why are you here?" he queried bluntly.

"I heard the bagels sold next door were to die for and thought before I got some that I'd call in here for a visit while I was in the area," Cadence retorted sardonically.

She hastened to Charlie and looked at him apologetically. She was relieved to see there was no blood. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realise you were there." She held out a handful of crumbled cookie. "All I've got to make amends is this cookie."

Charlie stared down at the crumbs with destain. "Are you sure that's a cookie?" he queried doubtfully.

"Well it's taken a new form but the ingredients are still the same," Cadence insisted.

Charlie shook his head as he looked back up at the fair haired woman. "Well I'll pass but you're forgiven."

Cadence smiled. "Thanks Charlie." She lowered her hand.

"Seriously, why are you here?" Josh questioned, putting more volume into his voice.

Cadence turned back to him and approached him with a small, apologetic smile. "How about to make amends? You and I got off on the wrong foot last time, I made poor jokes and you made poor bets." Her smile widened slightly. "Look, let's be friends for my father's sake, or at least good acquaintances, what do you say?"

Josh studied Cadence's expression hard. He knew he was missing something, he knew it but her face seemed sincere, cheerful and warm even and she was his boss' daughter. For the sake of their audience he figured he should give in, for now anyway.

"Yes alright," he retorted reluctantly.

"Shake on it?" she suggested innocently.

Josh sighed. "Fine." He tugged his left hand out of his trouser pocket.

Cadence immediately grasped Josh's hand tightly, squishing the remnants of cookie and sweat into it before releasing it with a smile.

She walked away as Josh gave a groan of disgust and starting wiping his hand down his blazer as the rage swept through him.

John was smiling again, as were Charlie and Sam.

"Josh don't dirty my office," Mrs. Landingham called out warningly.

"Me?" Josh spluttered. "It wasn't me!"

Cadence faced Sam's direction and gave him a tranquil stare.

Sam gazed back at her with a calm uncertainty. He mastered more sensibility than Josh but that was the norm. Sam was always so neatly suited and booted one would be hard pushed to find a wrinkle on him and a stain or a hair out of place signalled a crisis for the man whereas Josh succumbed to scruffiness on a whim or simply as a natural state of too much energy spent on too many goals in any one day. Sam went at things calmly and even when he was angry or defensive he still kept his voice low and his manner practical whilst Josh flapped and yelled as he was doing right now.

"Sam, my sister spent a good part of the evening telling me about your cute butt," Cadence informed Sam in a tone that was firm given the topic, "take that information and use it wisely. Take a care over whose side you pick as well," she added.

"Sides?" Sam babbled as he felt his cheeks brighten and heat up. He pushed his glasses up his nose and promptly avoided looking to anyone other than Cadence.

Cadence smiled as Josh continued to take swipes at imagined cookie crumbs on his trouser leg. "Yes Sam, your companion over there-"

"Josh," Sam interrupted.

Cadence nodded as her stare became intense and she took a step closer to Sam as she raised her hands to her hips. "Josh. We go back, we worked together before but he betrayed the cause and then I had my little incident and I guess neither of us is quite ready to forgive and forget so we shall just have to play for winner."

Sam swallowed hard, this was not a fight he wanted involved with. Josh was his friend, Cadence was Leo's daughter, Sam wasn't exactly sure a winning side existed.

"Um...your sister talked about me?" Sam went back to the more favourable topic.

Cadence smiled at him and nodded again. "Yes, frequently and fondly, I can be a favourable ally you know."

John observed the spat quietly. He wanted to walk away from it but he needed to talk to Cadence and who knew when he would get another chance? He had a busy day scheduled and this topic of her joining his team warranted attention now. The Vice President didn't even know who he favoured at the moment, or rather disapproved of least- Cadence or Josh? Just like for them, the two years that had passed since his campaign weren't too long ago for him either. The memories of his failed campaign were still bitter and fresh as was Josh's betrayal to Bartlet's side and Cadence's humiliating departure.

Charlie had wisely chosen silence as well though he smiled at the bickering and bartering. He tried to remember what Cadence's sister looked like. Being a school teacher Mallory didn't exactly have time for frequent visits to the White House and she usually headed for the bullpen for Sam or to drop in on her father's office. Charlie thought he had maybe glimpsed her just once heading into the Chief of Staff's office which lingered near the Oval Office.

"Sam don't fall for that," Josh snapped at his friend crossly. He gestured to Cadence with one hand. "That's trickery, she's trying to turn you against me by using her sister as bait, which is disgusting," he added with a pointed nod. "And I don't know why, what do you mean play for winner? At what game? Who can write a non-offending thesis?" he sneered sarcastically as he turned his glare on Cadence.

Cadence's smile widened as she glanced at Sam. "The important question is, is it working Sam?"

"Gentlemen would it surprise you to learn I don't have all day?" Jed's voice called out reproachfully as he stepped into the doorway of the Oval Office.

Josh and Sam faced him with instant apology. "Sorry sir," they stammered together.

Josh gave Cadence a glower. "Go get your bagels then," he muttered before he headed for the office.

Sam headed after Josh before halting to face Cadence. He gave her a nervous smile as he pried, "did Mallory really say that about me?"

"Sam now!" Leo called.

Sam winced at the tone. "Gotta go." He darted off into the office.

Charlie smiled and shook his head before closing the door after him.

Cadence stepped up to Mrs. Landingham's desk. "Can I have a tissue please?"

"Help yourself dear," the woman retorted with a gesture to the metallic box of tissues sitting waiting.

Cadence plucked out one and headed for the mess of cookie on the floor. She knelt down to dutifully lift it up. She lifted the crumbled cookie and stood upright again before heading over to the available bin and depositing the mess there.

John stepped up to her and regarded her with something she was sure was contempt. "We need to talk," he said sternly.

Cadence stared up at him, meeting the anger in his pale blue gaze. A one on one with John, it was something she had been dreading and hoped to avoid at all costs. She wondered wearily if it was going to be an interrogation, perhaps an accusation given what had just happened in the Oval Office. She knew she couldn't refuse given what had gone on in there, this was a conversation she had to have out with John.

"Alright," she retorted quietly, still calm but not quite so confident.

"This way."

John turned and headed from Mrs. Landingham's quarters and through to the West Wing where he had an office. He was joined by his protective agent who walked silently alongside him. One agent was the bare minimum and John only got by with it because there was an agent at every door around here. The moment he went to leave the building the rest of his detail who had followed him to it would rejoin him.

As Vice President, John's base was at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building whilst his residency was at the Number One Observatory Circle, which was at the United States Naval Observatory. Both were territories near but away from the White House, a stark reminder that the Vice President was outside the President's domain in more than one way. Having an office in the West Wing seemed like a token gesture to John but he often took advantage of it anyway.

Cadence followed with reluctance, feeling a little like the scorned pupil trotting after the headmaster. She eyed the back of John's coal black suit, telling herself that he was like Jed now, a man of two different entities, there was John Hoynes the man and then there was the Vice President. The trouble was that the John Hoynes she knew was of two years ago, she couldn't attest to what his personality was like now.

John stopped at his office and allowed his agent to open it and give it the quick once over.

"Wait outside," John commanded him.

John entered and the agent took up post. Cadence walked past him feeling more like she was entering a prison with the guard on duty to prevent her escape. She dutifully closed the door behind her, feeling there was a certain irony to shutting herself in the prison.

The office was dark, there were no external windows, the ceiling lights were the dim, soulless bars of archaic city offices that served to hum the annoying electric tune of long admin hours and low pay, and the blinds for the windows to the corridor were drawn. There was a mahogany desk at the forefront with the expected accessories- gold desk lamp, telephone, computer, notepad, pens and a whiteboard behind it. Before it was a large, rectangular table that sat four at opposing sides and one on each end. The chairs had a Chesterfield style dark backing that looking stylish but uncomfortable.

John avoided the chairs and instead leaned against the desk as the corners of his lips tugged down in a frown.

"What in the hell are you playing at?" He was straight to the point. "What kind of ambush was that Cadence?"

Cadence swallowed down her fear as she stepped away from the door and took up a position opposite John.

"I don't know," she retorted placidly, "it was an ambush for me too."

John pushed off the desk and shook his head at her. "No," he snapped as he pointed at her angrily, "no this was an opportunity for you, wasn't it? You blindsided me into a job. Cadence you left me, remember?" John fought to keep his voice low as he let the thicker tones of his Texan accent slip into it. "I never asked you to leave, I never hinted at it either."

"No but we both know why I did and why I did it the way I did," Cadence retorted, still unruffled as she stood poised and held her ground.

"Why come back then?" John demanded. "Is it because I got this token post, so it is easy now to want to work for me."

Cadence shook her head. "No John, it's definitely not easy."

John's frown deepened and he swept a hand through his thick, dark hair.

"You vanished, you ran from my bed in the dead of the night like a criminal," he addressed her angrily. "I had people looking for you but there was nothing. I looked for a while Cadence. Then he gets inaugurated with Leo by his side and there is still no sign of you. All of a sudden here you are with Leo and the President getting offered a job at my expense."

"I won't take it!" Cadence snapped suddenly. "Alright! I won't even apply, they can't make me. Look I didn't know, really." Cadence stared up at him but it was getting difficult now to maintain her calm facade. "I was at dinner with Mallory and dad last night," she explained. "They didn't want me going and I admitted I hadn't really found a career or a home for myself but I had no idea it was going to lead to this, this morning. I'm sorry John, I just meant to check in with dad given things with mum and all this business about his addictions and then I meant to go."

"So you weren't going to talk to me?" John demanded as fury filled his stare.

"What?" Cadence looked at him in astonishment. "Did you want me to?"

"I deserve an explanation as to where you have been all this time."

"Jesus John you're the Vice President now, I don't...I missed you," Cadence let the truth of her emotions escape before she could help it. "I missed your charm, your frankness , your wit and your kindness." She let out a soft laugh. "I even missed your stubbornness but it was going to come out John."

"You don't know that," he dismissed her concerns quickly.

"I do," Cadence argued, "and even if it wasn't..." She gave him a serious stare and took a step towards him. "I still feel that spark, right now I'm standing here and I feel this heat and I get a wash of memories and it's wrong. I almost wrecked everything once before, I can't-"

He silenced her with a kiss. It came fast as he reached one hand round to her bum and pulled her into him. John could be charming, dashing and roguish, it was easy for him to flirt and tease but he didn't need to do it now with Cadence because he had done it all before and she had just confirmed the attraction was still there, dormant not extinct.

John tasted the sweet, fruity remnants of raisins on the edge of her mouth before he moved his lips lower to press butterfly kisses about her neck.

Cadence shuddered slightly at the light brushing of the Vice President's warm mouth on her exposed flesh. As faint as the touch was it also sent a tingle of pleasure through her. Her hands were already reaching for his shirt. She tugged it out and pushed one palm under it to press against the hot skin of his torso. The other hand she stretched up into his thick hair, burrowing her fingers through it and ruffling it slightly.

"If you're not working for Jed to get at me," he murmured into her right ear, "and you want to work with my team then you can. You were always good with public relations, you're intelligent, witty, a quick thinker and you have the confidence to tell people to shove it up their ass when you need to."

Cadence smiled faintly at this. "We can't do this then John, I can't work for you and bed you, if it ever came out-"

"Cadence," he interrupted angrily, "why do you assume it will? Do you think I'm foolish? Do you think I'd risk my career like that?"

Cadence pulled back from him and bit her bottom lip slightly before she answered. "John what about my career and my life? My family can't take another scandal from me." She fumbled her hands through her hair in an effort to smooth it down and shook her head. "I'll turn the post down John, it's for the best."

"No," he said calmly as his professional mask returned. He began to tuck his shirt back into place. "We can be colleagues Cadence, you will work for me, nothing else."

"Why?"

John gave a small smile. "Cady you're normally confident, do you think I wanted you just for a fuck?"

Cadence tensed at the blunt turn of phrase he had used. Such vulgarity suited John for sure, in the past he had often did it to shock or to remind people that he didn't take any shit but it did not suit the Vice President.

"I suppose not," she said carefully.

"Then you'll apply? Unless you wanted to work for me for that reason," he added coyly.

Cadence felt her ears turn pink again. "No," she answered quickly. "I've always wanted to work for the White House," she babbled, "and I always believed in your office."

"Good, then I'll see things are arranged so there's a post for you to apply and interview for. Then we are all going to Texas and you are going to regret ever suggesting it." He placed his hands on his hips and gave a mock accusing expression.

Cadence smiled back at him. "I have faith in my suggestion Mr Vice President," she assured.

He nodded. "Another thing, if you need help getting a home sorted let me know and if you don't, let me know when you've found one."

When Cadence gave a quizzical look in response John felt compelled to explain.

"I just want to help you," he said, "I'm not intending on some sordid visits, perhaps just one to see you're settled. My staff's welfare is very important to me and with you it's not just a welcome, it's a welcome back."

"I prefer welcome," Cadence retorted quietly, "clean slate and all that."