It was half five in the morning and still dark outside. Cadence was curled up on the wooden ledge of her apartment window wrapped in a woollen blanket as she cradled a mug of coffee and listened through her earphones to a medley of disco songs. She had been like that since four, awake since three, she had given up on sleep and decided to enjoy the city view her new apartment offered her.

Cadence had moved in just yesterday and had barely had a chance to take in aged walls that hinted of a detailed history and a bare appearance that offered many possibilities before her father's deliverymen had arrived. Cadence had asked him to let her try things on her own two feet but Leo had insisted on a house warming gift. That gift had been a truck load of accessories and furniture- a fridge/freezer combo, a cooker, chairs for the breakfast bar that was already in the kitchen, a bed, a couch, a television and a wardrobe. The bed had to be returned as it didn't fit, apparently Leo had forgotten that the apartment was small.

Jenny, Cadence's mother, had arrived shortly after with Mallory, more house warming gifts and a welcome dinner. The blanket was a gift from Jenny, a remnant of their family home in Chicago, it still bore a faint scent of the old house. It was fluffy, dyed midnight blue and patterned with flying white swans, age and love had worn its edges to loose fibres and straggly ends but it still provided a much needed comfort.

Jenny had also gifted her youngest daughter with some cushions, more blankets and rug, recalling how Cadence always favoured cosy accessories. Most of them were in the intended bedroom serving as a temporary nest/bed on the floor.

Mallory had given Cadence the mug she was cradling along with a set of glasses, cutlery, a few more cups and a coffee maker.

Mallory had been positive about the apartment pick whilst Jenny has pursed her lips and looked disapproving though a look from her eldest child had kept her from offering any verbal scorn. The pair had stayed for a few hours before leaving her to spend her first night alone. Mallory had hugged her and murmured that she was proud of her. Jenny had been more withdrawn, her hug had been stiff, a performance for Mallory more than anything, and she had murmured pleadingly to Cadence 'you have something good, don't mess it up this time'.

Jenny's words had cut Cadence to the core. They had troubled her sleep and disturbed her to wakefulness at one in the morning, two and then three when she had given up on a peaceful slumber. Now she had doubts and woes, a concern that she would sabotage things simply by being herself. That she would embarrass her father and Jed and do something they couldn't forgive.

Cadence thought of John's warm mouth pressing against hers and tensed up before her eyes darted down to another house warming gift that remained unopened. It was a small, fancy box, the idealistic present seen in movies with neat, gold wrapping and an elegant red ribbon and bow sealing its contents. There was a tag on it, a single word inked out in fancy calligraphy- Welcome. It had arrived just before the furniture, given to her by a private courier.

Cadence knew she was being foolish leaving it unopened. John had agreed to professionalism, it was just a gift, except she wondered if he brought all his staff house warming gifts. Of course how many of them had moved into new homes since he had come to post?

She fingered the red bow loosely. Trust John to see it packaged in something that hinted of class and money. She knew he was still showing off his gentleman charm despite agreeing just to be colleagues. Knowing she wasn't going to return it, she set the half drunk coffee to one side and tugged the bow free at last. She plucked off the lid and had to tug off some silvery tissue paper to reveal the treasure inside. Seeing the gift at last, Cadence let out a loud laugh.

A large, comical, yellow rubber duck with an upturned expression of happiness gazed up at her with painted blue eyes.

"Well it's just as well I wouldn't settle for an apartment without a bath," Cadence murmured to herself.

She pulled the duck free from its gift box confines and smiled. Maybe things were going to go well this time.

"Do we have to go on the same plane?" Josh Lyman's irate voice rang out loudly through his office and out the ajar door into the corridor.

Toby, never one to flinch at yelling, continued giving Josh the same dull eyed look he had been giving him for the past fifteen minutes. "I'm going to say this once more Josh, slowly," he said in a deadpan manner. "It's bad for the environment to take two planes when it's unnecessary."

Josh held both his hands up as he regarded Toby with disbelief. "How's it unnecessary?!" he exclaimed. "What if the plane gets shot down, then we've no President or Vice President!"

"Josh that's a little morbid don't you think?" Donna's bright tones interrupted as she entered the room.

She brought an instant lustre to the room, her pale pink outfit adding colour to the drab office that Toby and Josh were blending into with their dark suits.

Josh looked at his assistant in exasperation. "But a fair point surely."

"Presidents and their Vices have travelled together before," Toby reminded him, "it is their choice."

"Oh no," Josh shook his head at Toby, "you're not going to have me believe the President chose this."

Toby relented his expression of dull disdain slightly for mild discomfort. "Not exactly," he admitted awkwardly.

"I'm still unclear on who suggested a trip to Texas," Josh grumbled.

Toby offered a half-grin at this before he banished it.

Donna looked from one to the other before stepping in front of Josh, putting her chirpy face in close proximity to his.

"Josh," she called him to attention.

Josh glanced to her wearily. He wondered why Donna didn't irate him more or why even when she did annoy him it was almost a welcome annoyance, a pattern to the day he had come to expect and that some masochistic side of him would probably miss should she ever leave him. He figured as he looked at her cheery gaze and happy smile that maybe it was her bubbly, bright persona he was drawn too. Donna wasn't a robot, she wasn't always happy, in fact she was very forthright with her emotions and honest to a fault about her opinions but her natural persona was optimism. Josh wondered if it was that spark of Disney esq hope in her that he was drawn to.

"Yes Donna?" he queried.

"I came to ask." She paused.

"Yes Donna?" he repeated impatiently.

"Do you need me in Texas?"

Josh looked at his assistant carefully trying to spy which answer she wanted to hear. "Why Donna?" he prompted her to explain herself before he walked into a potential trap.

"Well it's just I heard you might be...visiting um a ranch."

"And your point is?" Josh tried to keep neutral but the idea of visiting a ranch wasn't something he was overjoyed about. He was determined to find out quickly whose plan Texas was and make them sorry for it.

"It's just I'm not really a fan of that," Donna attempted to explain awkwardly.

Josh pushed his hands through his light brown curls before giving his assistant a look of exasperation. "That, Donna what exactly is that?" Josh demanded.

"Cattle, manure, horses, manure," Toby lamented, "pigs, unclean and manure."

"Toby," Josh scolded him, "we're going to make a good presentation, mocking the ways of certain individuals in Texas is what cost us the state in the first place. They're not all rural hicks."

"Just the ones we're visiting," Toby grumbled with a sullen look.

"Toby's right though Josh," Donna remarked. "I don't think I would do well for you in Texas. Plus, I really think you need to use this time to get along better with Cady."

Josh visibly bristled at the name. "Donna, firstly, we discussed you not mentioning the name of that individual here and secondly, since when were you were on nickname terms with Benedict Arnold?"

"You know Josh, Leo will hear you call her that one day," Toby warned with a disapproving look. Toby had no real opinion on Cadence McGarry as yet. She had been formally hired and announced as Deputy Assistant to the Vice President in the role of Public Relations just four days ago. Neither Toby nor Sam had been too impressed by the title, both feeling it sounded a little too close to Communications Director, the roles they served in for the White House but more directly the President. Having been told by Leo that Jed had wanted Cadence on Hoynes' team, Toby was withholding judgement of her for now.

"Well when I've seen her she's been very nice to me," Donna insisted.

"And how often do you see her Donna?" Josh demanded as he gestured his hands outwards theatrically. "She should be over in the Eisenhower."

"She comes to see Leo for lunch sometimes and she visits when the Vice President does," Donna retorted happily.

"Donna she's worked here for less than five days," Josh grumbled. He stepped away from his assistant. "You know I don't always have time for lunch, I mean if she wants to be taken seriously she should be running to daddy for lunch breaks," he muttered.

"Josh she's allowed to eat. Anyway, do I have to go to Texas?" Donna quipped.

Josh looked at her disapprovingly. "Well not now that I know you like someone from Hoynes' side."

Donna smiled at him sarcastically and said sweetly, "I like you, don't I?"

"Hey!" Josh protested angrily.

Toby gave a small smile. "She's got you there Josh," he said. "Let this go already, she's Leo's daughter, just be glad she is at the Eisenhower most of the time."

Toby stepped away from the wall and headed for the door.

"Where are you going Toby?" Josh demanded. "One plane is a bad idea!"

Toby kept walking and answered without looking back. "I'm the Director of Communications not travel, speak to Leo. Anyway, C.J is briefing the press about the travel arrangements, if you push for a change they're going to think there's been a fallout between the President and the VP already."

"You know I'm right Toby it's a huge risk, I mean this is why we have Air Force One and Air Force Two."

"Leo Josh, speak to Leo," Toby called as he entered the corridor.

"Right, I'm off to see Leo then," Josh said firmly before darting off.

"Josh!" Donna called after him. "Can you bring me back a cowgirl hat? I think I'd look cute in one!"

Josh smiled as the image of Donna wearing a pink cowboy hat suddenly popped into his head. She would look cute in one, at least in his mind.

Josh bypassed C.J in the corridor and paused to talk with her.

The press secretary was dressed in black skirt suit with a blue shirt. She had been walking quickly, her expression serious, making it clear she was ready for business.

"C.J when is your press briefing?" Josh quipped.

"Ten minutes," she retorted as she kept walking. "Why?"

C.J regretted giving Josh the platform to continue his conversation but she knew he hadn't stopped her for no reason and was liable to speak whether she dismissed him or not.

"I'm going to speak to Leo about this plane situation," Josh retorted. He gazed up at the tall woman curiously. "What do you think about it?"

C.J gave him a careful stare in response. "I think ten minutes is a short time to debate it and try to change Leo and the President's mind on the manner, so if you're doing that walk fast because if plans change after I speak with the press I will take it out on you Josh."

Josh held his ground though he felt a wash of nerves as the woman towered over him intimidating him with a tilt of her head and a narrowing of her dark blue gaze.

"Could you give me fifteen minutes, please?" he asked hopefully.

"No." C.J's answer was resolute. She continued walking.

Josh sighed and quickened his pace in the opposite direction.

When Josh reached the door to Leo's office he glanced at his watch and realised he was probably down to seven minutes. Muttering a curse, he didn't bother with a knock, he panicked and entered.

"Leo sorry for the intrusion but it's an emergency," he announced as he hurried in without looking.

"Always the dramatics with you," Cadence's voice scorned him. "Anyway, I was here first, wait your turn."

She was standing opposite her father's desk looking frazzled. Her pale shirt was hanging loose over her light brown skirt, her jacket was missing and her hair was pushed out in several directions.

Leo glanced up at Josh helplessly from behind his desk before looking back to his agitated daughter.

Cadence started pacing around the wooden floor for the sixth time. "It's bad luck, we can't do it," she complained.

Josh had considered a protest to Cadence but seeing her unease he stayed silent. He folded his arms, amused and fascinated as she wandered in circles, her eyes wide with the whites showing in them and panic filling her voice.

"Cady if this isn't coming from the Vice President I really can't do much about it," Leo retorted calmly.

Cadence halted and gave her father a look of despair. "I'm not going to board."

Leo drew back in his chair with a look of scorn. "Oh don't be like that. It's a short flight, it will be fine."

"Four hours is long enough for any amount of disasters to occur, and I'm just talking about planes difficulties, you should consider terrorist ones," she muttered as she rubbed her hair with one hand.

Leo slammed his hands on his desk angrily. "Cadence don't use that word," he warned her as he pointed at her.

Leo made himself relax his appearance and lowered his hand again. "Look, it's gonna be fine," he addressed her calmly. "I'm getting on the plane, and you're getting on the plane."

Josh, smiling at Cadence's nervous wreck appearance, had to ask, "what are you guys talking about?"

"Our travel arrangements," Leo answered bluntly. "What are you here for?"

Josh looked surprised. "The same thing," he admitted. He moved to stand before Leo's desk although it put him in a closer proximity to Cadence than he would have liked. "I think it's reckless having the President and Vice President on the same plane."

"Noted but we're doing it," Leo retorted firmly.

"Leo there's no way the President is for this, he can barely stand Hoynes-"

"Josh that's not true and you shouldn't say it," Leo reprimanded him firmly with a look of disapproval.

"Yes, you never know what trouble an opinion on political manners could get you into," Cadence taunted him.

Cadence had ceased pacing the room but was now fidgeting with the ends of her shirt with both hands. Her marbled grey-blue gaze shifted from Josh to Leo.

"Dad, I don't like to say it because it leaves a dirty taste on my tongue but Josh is right."

"Hey," Josh snapped as he looked at the woman in annoyance. "I know it's only been four days for you but you're representing the White House now, we're meant to be professionals so you should act like it and agree with me politely."

"Coming from someone who treats Congressmen like schoolboys when they don't vote the way he wants," Cadence retorted with a fresh look of mocking in her stare for him.

"Who told you that?" Josh demanded.

Cadence smiled. "I'm not going to reveal my sources."

"Could you two take this elsewhere? I feel like I've three kids not two," Leo snapped at them. "We are all going on one plane, one big happy family, Cady you're the one who said unity would look good."

Josh looked at the woman in confusion and disbelief. He pointed at her with one hand. "You said?" he echoed.

Cadence ignored him as she turned back to her father with a frown. "On the ground dad, it looks good on the ground. You know I'm still very new to post, I don't think I should go."

Leo stood up from his desk and offered a smile that he managed to make appear firm. "Cadence the President has asked you to go and we do not disobey the President. Now, seriously, could you two get out of my office. Cady, go speak with the medical officer, tell them I sent you and they'll give you something for your nerves."

"Nerves?" Josh echoed mockingly.

Cadence ignored him as she turned and charged out of the office.

"Leo I don't think one plane is a good idea," Josh said.

"Out Josh," Leo retorted with a warning look.

Josh gave him a curious look. "Just one question Leo, what did you mean the unity was her idea?"

Leo gave Josh a teasing smile that suddenly put Josh in mind of Cadence. "This whole thing was her idea Josh, it's why the President insisted she was hired."

Josh paled as his mouth parted in an O shape. He threw his arms up in the air and found himself stepping back as he tried hard to contain his rage.

Leo waved at him. "Bye Josh."

Josh swallowed hard. "Bye Leo," he choked out softly. He turned and practically ran from the office.

"WHO KNEW?!"

This loud yell from Josh seemed to fill the corridors of the West Wing as he stormed down it looking for someone to take his anger out on.

Donna poked her head out of her office before diving back in as she spied her boss' look of fury.

Sam and Toby simultaneously jumped up and ran out of their offices. They exchanged a look before searching the walls for the row of clocks. It was just after nine o'clock.

"Damn it," Toby cursed.

Sam shook his head. "One more hour and it would've been me."

Josh spied them and sped towards them. "Cadence came up with this absurd plan?!" he exclaimed as he spread his hands out emphatically. "She's been here four days!"

"Well," Sam began diplomatically, "you have discussed it before now Josh and it's not a bad idea."

"Sam," Josh growled out, "don't pick the wrong side."

"Why does it have to be about sides?" Sam queried with a wounded look. "I mean we're all Democrats."

"Yes Sam, that's how the public sees it but you're smart, you know better, this is a battle ground," Josh said as he pointed to the ground theatrically.

"Well the President is following Cadence's suggestion to deal with our friend in Texas," Toby commented calmly, "does that mean she won the battle?"

Josh scowled at Toby. "It means she communicated a plan to him better than you could," he commented pettily. "This is just round one, I'm going to win the war.

"Josh you're an idiot," Toby said calmly, "and it's nice to see you getting beat by a girl," he concluded with a nod of his head.

Toby walked off and met C.J as she exited the press room. He reached into his trouser pocket, lifted out his wallet and produced a ten dollar bill from it. "You won," he said moodily as he handed it to the woman.

C.J's eyes filled with delight and surprise as she accepted the note. "I won?!" she exclaimed. "Josh found out before nine?"

Toby nodded and sighed. "Josh found out it was Cadence's plan, I assume from Leo. I really thought he would've kept it quiet until noon."

C.J let out a loud laugh. "Fantastic! Oh, Danny was asking about the plane situation."

"Plane situation?" Toby retorted.

C.J nodded. "The same thing Josh is yammering on about, isn't it a security risk, etc?"

"What did you tell him?" Toby queried.

"I said Presidents and their vices had travelled together in the past, that it was a show of camaraderie and it's a brief flight and up to the Secret Service to determine if any risk might occur."

Toby nodded agreeably, satisfied with the press secretary's answer. "Good. What do you think about it?" he pried.

C.J smiled down at him. "I think now that Josh knows who came up with this plan it's going to be fun seeing him and Cadence stuck on the same plane for almost four hours."

Toby gave a small smile at this. "I'm sure he'll behave with Leo and the President watching."

"Danny also asked what the in-flight movie would be," C.J murmured, "he can be a real smart ass sometimes."

"Other than that are the press briefed for this trip?" Toby quipped.

C.J nodded. "Of course, let's just hope our friend the senator plays nice for them."

It was close to seven in the evening and boarding for the Air Force One flight from Washington to Texas had begun. The President's team boarded first naturally heading up with minimal fuss. The press pool lingered on the tarmac, suitably distanced as they prepared to be boarded and shuffled into the few seats spared for them in the lesser quarters of the plane. What was unusual was that they had to wait for the Vice President and his party to board first. Even more unusual, as senior White House correspondent Danny Concannon was quick to notice, was that Vice President John Hoynes didn't pause for his usual preening to the press. He boarded the plane swiftly with a casual smile and wave followed just as quickly by his team.

Danny squinted against the breeze and watched as the Vice President's team moved herd like, following John briskly into the plane, a few in a tight formation despite the limitations of the steel stairs. He considered it odd but couldn't figure out the reason for it.

C.J, who stood at the front of the press pool as their instructor and, for the duration of this trip, leader in a fashion, also noticed the oddity of the Vice President's lack of display. John Hoynes was designed for the press, he was a model speaker, good for his word, unflinching and confident, and he was a master of a charm the press devoured. He was also one to leap at every chance he could for good publicity, determined to get his face out there and promoted in a good light as often as he could.

John didn't even notice the change from the cold night air to the warmth of the presidential aircraft as he stepped through. He did notice the attractive young hostess who greeted him and he flashed her a smile and offered a polite greeting before he hastened on.

"Ooh it's toasty in here," Cadence marvelled behind him. "Toasty, toasty, I feel like a little, fluffy muffin in the oven."

John reached the luxury cream couches the President and his Chief of Staff were currently occupying. Leo already had his reading glasses on and a newspaper unfolded in his lap.

Behind them Josh and Sam lingered. They were due to follow after Toby to their own sitting quarters but they both had a few queries they wanted to ask first.

"Good evening John," Jed greeted his vice courteously with a nod.

Leo nodded approvingly.

"Good evening," John retorted with barely a glance to the president. He fixed a serious, light blue stare on Leo. "Leo, did you per chance," he lowered his head slightly at his words, "suggest that Cadence see the White House medic for a prescription of some sort?"

Leo tugged off his glasses and looked up at John in surprise. "Yes she has a fear of flying why do you-"

"Oooh look at the fuzzy glow that light makes!" Cadence's voice squealed out. "It's like a pretty little firefly!"

John glanced over his shoulder to the young woman. She was leaning over the aisle and hovering the palm of her hand over a lamp resting beside Charlie.

Charlie was looking up at her in bewilderment, unsure what to say. He opted for his usual polite manner. "Ma'am are you alright?" he queried politely.

Cadence let out a giggle before flinging her hair back over her shoulders dramatically with both hands. "Oh yes Charlie, I'm good, I mean real, rainbow kissed, bunny bouncing good, you know what I mean? See I've always been afraid of flying but tonight I don't know," she stretched a hand to the top of his chair and beamed down at him, "I don't have it, I mean it's weird but I don't."

"Rainbow kissed, bunny bouncing?" Josh echoed with mirth. He was standing in the centre of the aisle, having manoeuvred there at the sound of Cadence's voice, determined to get a good view of the show. He glanced to Sam and smiled.

Sam was standing to the right looking equal parts stunned and nervous. His gaze dipped pointedly to Leo's seat.

Cadence giggled again. "Oh Charlie these seats are so soft, I mean I heard it was nice in here and that if you have to fly, fly presidential but damn, it's all so nice." She stood upright again and squished her kitten heeled brown shoes into the carpet. "I mean even the floor is nice, I bet it would be nice to stroke, like a bunny."

Charlie stood up from his seat instinctively as Cadence went to lean down.

The Vice President's team was standing behind her looking appropriately bewildered and annoyed. John's Chief of Staff Cal Mathis took a step forward and took Cadence's right arm tightly in his hand.

"You need to get to a seat," he ordered bluntly.

"You don't need to hold her so tightly," Charlie commented disapprovingly.

Leo jumped up from his seat, discarding the paper sloppily to his table.

"Oh God what was she given? She needed something to calm her not send her into some hippie fairy fantasy!" he exclaimed.

Josh took a step back from the sight as he raised a hand to his mouth to hide his smile.

Leo stepped into the aisle, bypassing John to approach Cal and Cadence. "Cady honey, I said for you to get something from the medic because of your fear of flying, didn't she give you instructions on how much to take?"

Cadence smiled and shrugged. "I mean maybe but I mean dad I really, really hate flying I mean once you've been in one plane crash." She moved her free hand up in the air and then down rapidly with a humming noise for dramatic effect. "Well you know."

"What?" Leo stared at her in shock. "Cadence what the hell are you talking about? You've never been in a plane crash, have you?"

"Josh let's go," Sam addressed his co-worker quietly.

Sam still bore a serious stare only now there was a hint of pity in it as he wondered at Cadence's words just like Leo. If she had really been in such a traumatic event he couldn't blame her for being doped out to endure another flight.

Josh, shocked and sobered by Cadence's words, nodded to Josh and the pair headed off quietly.

Cadence's palm shot up to cover her mouth. "Oops," she sounded out through her fingers. She glanced about her surroundings with a wide eyed look as her hand fell away. "You know maybe I still don't want to go flying after all um..." She tried to turn round but Cal's firm grasp prevented her.

"John, why don't you send your team on," Jed suggested calmly, "we have delayed long enough and I am sure the press are anxious to board. Charlie, maybe you can take Cady to get some hot milk or something before take off."

John resented the orders but he could see Jed's point.

Cadence was now trying to make eye contact with her father and failing as she kept turning her head about to look at other things. "It's way too shiny in here," she complained. "Dad I just didn't want to freak out and embarrass you and Jed," she murmured. "I mean Mr. President, tricky titles. I'm trying to be good this time." She dipped her head before turning back up to Leo with a look of dismay. "Have I messed up already?" she queried quietly.

"No Cady," Jed answered before Leo could. He was standing now as well. "You have a fear of flying, for reasons we are definitely going to talk about at a later time, and you're trying to conquer it for your job, that's an admirable thing. However," he added with a small smile, "the press really doesn't need to see how you're treating it so go with Charlie please."

Jed gestured a hand out to Charlie.

"Can I take your hand ma'am?" Charlie queried cordially.

"Cady, Charlie, we agreed on that," she corrected.

Cal frowned at the younger man. He was annoyed that he wasn't getting trusted to escort the young woman, even though it was also a relief to pass on her burden and he didn't like how Charlie's respectfulness seemed to be an unvoiced dig at his bluntness.

Cal released the woman.

"Charlie you're too nice," Cadence murmured as she extended her hand. "Can we have cookies with that milk? Ones with raisins or oatmeal."

"If you promise not to offer me the crumbs then sure," Charlie responded with a smile.

Charlie escorted the woman down the aisle past her still stunned father and her nonplussed

boss.

Cadence had come in a separate car to John to the airport so he hadn't exactly had much time to digest her state. He wasn't sure for the reason behind it until her confession to Leo and now he didn't know what to think. He knew, like Leo and Jed, that it had to have been an incident within the past couple of years and it had him wondering yet again, where the hell had she been and what had she been doing?

Once Cadence and Charlie were gone, John led his party on to their sitting quarters.

Leo sat down slowly with a dumbfounded expression. "What did she mean by that?" he queried softly as he stared forward in horror. "I mean I never heard anything, Mal or Jenny never said anything. No one even said anything about her being in an accident or a hospital."

"We'll find out Leo," Jed assured. "Let's wait until after Texas though, this trip was her idea and whilst the over indulgence of medication might be a minor setback we shouldn't hold it against her. She's young and nervous and trying hard to impress you, just let her know we're glad she got on the plane."

Leo nodded but he wasn't fully listening.

It was twenty minutes later than they were ready for take off. Charlie had resumed his seat and assured Leo and Jed that Cadence was fine and secure in her own. Still they worried how she was going to deal with take off.

John was worried too, which was why he had insisted she join him and had dismissed his chief of staff to sit with the rest of his team.

Cadence sat on John's left, away from the window and close to the aisle. She was tightening her seatbelt for the fourth time as the drugs struggled to beat back her nerves.

"I really wish you'd warned me you were going to show up to work stoned," he chided her quietly. He gazed over at her and felt the corners of his mouth turning up to a small grin. It was dreadful but Cadence's state had lifted his mood. He had been dreading this flight, sharing a plane with the President against protocol because it would look good to Texas. Hell he was dreading the entire trip, wary that Jed had only agreed to it so he could publicly use and abuse John for being a Texan. Yet he was looking forward to it as well because there was an opportunity for him to win Texas to his side if not Jed's, to show them not just his gentleman charm but his political strength and intelligence, his determination, and his loyalty to his state.

Cadence leaned forward and looked past John to the window wearily. "I wish I had taken a little less," she murmured. "This chair needs a cushion," she complained.

Cadence jumped when the plane started to move forward and her face turned chalk white.

"Do you have your tape player with you?" John pried.

Cadence's nails sank into the edges of her chair as she nodded rapidly. She was looking directly forward now, eyes wide with alarm.

"You should play it when we're in the air, it will help your nerves," John advised.

Cadence shook her head at this. "No electronic devices on during a flight, it's bad."

"It's only during take off and landing, and it's fine," John reassured, "and I'm intrigued to find out what new playlists you have come up with."

Cadence glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "No, no electronic devices on a flight, it's bad for the mechanics."

The plane started to hum loudly and suddenly sped up.

Cadence let out a yelp of terror.

John reached across to her with one hand and took hers loosely in his. "It's just the take off," he reassured.

Cadence gripped John's hand so fiercely he found himself swallowing down a wince of pain. "I really don't like this, I want my rainbows back," she complained.

A gasp escaped the woman as the plane abandoned the tarmac and became airborne. She closed her eyes tightly and began murmuring, "think of raccoons, think of raccoons and their stripy tails."

John gave a small laugh at this and shook his head. "Never understood why you liked those vermin."

John thought back to just under two years ago when a raccoon had been spotted sniffing around the trash outside the office block he had claimed for his campaign headquarters. He had delegated someone to get pest control.

Two nights later John had spied the thing still there, only this time it was helping itself to a bowl of what looked like cat nibble. After complaining about it the next day and threatening to call pest control himself, Cadence had jumped up and told John he couldn't because the raccoon was called Rico and had a girlfriend.

John had wanted to admonish Cadence as she faced him down in front of his entire team, pleading for the life of a raccoon and telling him crossly that he was the intruder anyway because the alleyway was the raccoon's home. Josh had been there, openly laughing and driving John that little bit angrier with humiliation at being talked down to by this young student about a pest of all things. John couldn't tell her off though because Cadence had been beautiful in her passion, a little eccentric sure, but definitely beautiful and in the end all John could do was laugh and make a mock threat that Rico better stay outdoors or he was going to be turned into a scarf.

"They look like little bandits," Cadence mused with a smile.

The plane shuddered as it pushed through the clouds.

Cadence almost stopped the blood circulation to John's hand as she whimpered. Her grasp was icy cold and only then did John spy the goosebumps on her bare legs.

He felt warm and wondered if the bumps on her skin came from nerves rather than cold. He studied her long, fair legs with familiarity before his gaze travelled up to her arms. She had worn long sleeved tops when they had first met irregardless of the weather and it had taken him more than a few tries to get her to shed one. When she finally had she had sat looking tired and ashamed, head bowed as she had let him survey the pink lines on her inner arms.

John had thought about it for a while and asked her a few questions. After a while he had told her to wear short sleeved tops if she wanted because her scars showed what she had survived and overcome. He had figured privately that it was an advantage to his team not an embarrassment, and a show of how he embraced someone with previous mental health problems and tried to help them on a new course in life.

It had taken a couple of weeks before Cadence had taken his advice and shown up wearing a beguiling, cream, silk vest top. There had been a few looks but they had been brief. Her scars were faint and few and people had better things to do than wonder about them.

Now John wondered if she had added anymore to them. He hoped not.

When the seatbelt signs turned off, Cadence still kept hers on. She was breathing hard and staring dead ahead into some imagined void and didn't react to the stewardess approaching them.

John had released her hand a few minutes ago, wary of who could approach them now with the seatbelt signs off.

He looked up to the stewardess, smiled and ordered a water. "Get one for her too please," he added with a gesture to Cadence, "and a blanket, she's cold."

Cadence was giving minute trembles but it was still hard to tell if she was merely cold, terrified or both.

"Certainly Mr Vice President," the stewardess said politely before she nodded and hurried off.

It didn't take long before the water and blanket arrived. The stewardess deposited Cadence's water and blanket on a table beside her.

Once she was gone, John took a deep gulp from his water and then stood up from his seat. He approached Cadence and reached for the blanket. With haste, he opened it out and bundled it about her before anyone else could approach them and see.

"Cady, I'm going to go and talk about business with Cal," he informed her. "Are you feeling any better?"

Cadence swallowed hard. "Less bunny bouncing and more stomach churning," she murmured. "Um I think, is it bad luck to sleep on planes?" She glanced up to him curiously. "I don't know about that one."

"No, it's a good thing," he assured.

She smiled faintly. "Right, good luck maybe, hopefully. Alright then, sleep."

John nodded before he headed off to join the rest of his team.