Slight warning for some sexy content ahead

People always imagined war as some grand and dangerous event in a far off country fought by faceless soldiers who only became people when they died. The war that people fought within themselves was never considered as serious until it was too late yet it was much worse because people's internal struggle with themselves was endless. The victories that came were temporary, a win until the next quarrel but the war never really ended.

Cadence couldn't decide if her current struggle was ending in a win or a lose. Was it possible that it was both?

It was late, she didn't know the exact hour and she wasn't really concerned with it. Most of the past hour had passed in an energetic, frenzied blur. She had mastered her best mask to get here, assuring Agent Casper that it was work related but that it would probably take her into the late evening and since she wasn't tired anyway she would probably let it. He had told her to call no matter the hour so he could ensure she had an escort back home. He knew she was troubled but he also understood she needed the distraction of work.

Getting into the Naval Observatory without raising questions had been the next task. Cadence had accomplished this by being brazen, arriving her with a satchel of notes and dressed in a pale brown skirt and jacket combo with kitten heels and a cream shirt, looking business ready. She waltzed through quickly after the security check, stepping with a slight fluster to suggest an urgency to her task. The urgency was sincere if not her claim that she had an important matter to discuss with the Vice President.

John had even supplied the story. He had phoned Cadence with concern, admitting that he wasn't assured that she was alright. When she had been unable to dispute his concerns he had asked her to come and see him, assuring her that they would have privacy. He had insisted she was worrying him and suggested that she shouldn't be alone. Finally, he had remarked that he knew she was upset and needed a distraction and if she wanted they could just spend the night talking about a certain Texan senator and come up with some sort of plan to stop Senator Whyte from gaining an edge in Congress.

Cadence was here now and the panicked rush in her had turned into a different kind of unsettled excitement.

Cadence and John were in the study of the Naval Observatory, making a grand pretence of work. As Cadence had predictably arrived in the rainstorm without a coat and damp from her run from Agent Casper's car to the building, John had ensured a roaring fire was waiting for her.

Cadence had meant to occupy one of the seats before the fireplace but the vibrant amber and brilliant white flames had been too inviting. She was seated on the soft cream carpet with her legs curled at her left side as she stared at the fire and tried to banish her urges in the flames. She was grateful that the sound of the fire dulled down the patter of the rain against the windows.

John was seated on one on the singular chairs observing the young woman. Her pleated skirt had ridden up her thighs when she had sat exposing the upper curve of her thighs. It clung to her with damp outlining the edge of her buttocks and inviting John to guess what she had hidden underneath. Her jacket was off and discarded to the chair opposite him leaving her in a loose fitted cream shirt with ivory buttons, it was dry and left the flesh beneath it a tantalising mystery.

The pair had been quiet for the past ten minutes. John was willing to offer only silence if it was what the woman wanted. He had seen her tortured stare when she had arrived and knew today had been difficult for her. What he didn't know was why exactly- was it the raccoon, was she thinking of that boy Robbie? Was it Colombia as well? That memory was still fresh yet John didn't know what memory she had of it because she still wasn't sharing.

The fire crackled and Cadence shrank back suddenly from it.

"Are you alright?" John pried with a look of alarm as he wondered if she had been singed.

Cadence turned up to him with a mocking gaze as she let a sardonic smile slip out. "No," she said calmly, "but I think that's okay."

She dipped her head slightly and swept some of her hair over her right shoulder. "I'm tired of jumping at every little thing today," she confessed. "It's just been a very long, exhausting day."

Cadence stood up and pushed down some of the crinkles in her shirt.

For a moment as he stared up at her John feared she might leave. If she did he was going to have to refill the empty crystal whiskey glass sitting discarded on the polished ovular table behind him. He had taken two glasses of it before he had even phoned her. One glass had been to ease back the anger of Suzanne's heated words of insults at him before she had stormed off for a flight to L.A with lies about charity events down there. Suzanne had just wanted away from him and the mockery she claimed he was becoming. The second glass was because the first had left him thirsty for it. John knew that was a dangerous thing but he couldn't resist, the whiskey he had quietly gotten brought in here was a good year after all.

"I'm sorry," Cadence said softly. "Your day seems to have been a little complicated too and I haven't shown you the gratitude I feel for it. I know you rescued that raccoon for me John and I know how hard it was for you to stand before those cameras looking like a novelty but you are no novelty Mr Vice President," she added seriously. "You care about people, enough to put your own reputation at stake."

Cadence stepped up to him and leaned down to grasp his hands with her own. She held his gaze as he looked up at her with surprise.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

John stood up, moving quickly to kiss her. He didn't give her a chance to second guess it. His hands were about her, one up into her hair pressing her against against him whilst the other wrapped loosely about her waist.

Cadence let out a moan of defeat as she closed her eyes and welcomed his rush of kisses. She was too tired for the struggle anymore.

Cadence had tried to do right in Colombia and had been punished severely for it twice now, being good had left her beaten, being charitable had made her a witness of murders, trying to tell the truth had seen her made out as a liar and a traitor, and trying to fix it had caused her to be scarred all over again both physically and mentally.

She had tried to quash it all, force the memories away with distractions of work and origami and dinner with a smiling congressman but nothing had quite worked today. The rain was determined to keep her nightmarish memories going and with every sudden noise she was twitching like the proverbial deer in headlights. Trying to compose herself and suffer the memories silently had drained her. She was left without energy for this new battle of lust and wills with John.

The right thing to do was resist and walk away but Cadence was so sick of doing the right thing when she was only ever punished for it. If she walked away she would be returning to sit alone in her apartment and either drink or cry or both as memories of Robbie, the false Benjamin Sparks and all those poor villagers she had made friends with consumed her. Suzanne didn't want John so why couldn't Cadence have him for this one night?

Cadence reached up to his dark jacket and slid it down his shoulders.

John slackened his arms to let the jacket fall away but it was happening too slow for him. When the jacket hit the floor, he lifted her with both hands and carried her over to a waiting table.

Cadence trembled with excitement when one of John's hands slid up her skirt as he placed her down on the smooth wood of a table.

John felt a stir as Cadence rushed to unbutton his trousers and he smiled as she faltered slightly as a sudden groan of excitement escaped her.

John pulled his hand away and reached to her blouse, fighting with the buttons as he felt her warm hand tug out his member and begin to work it into an eager hardness.

John pulled her shirt open to expose the lacy white bra underneath and moved to free the clasp at her back.

Cadence leaned up to meet his mouth with her own as he fumbled with the silk of her skirt and the lace of her bra. With a little effort he got them free and finally exposed her breasts all the while getting tenser as she continued to tease his member into erectness.

A gasp escaped him and his blue stare locked with hers in a moment of seriousness.

"Cady if we're doing this I need to put on protection," he murmured.

Cadence shook her head. "It's alright," she assured with a small smile, "I...I've got a coil it's fine."

John wondered at her response. She was only thinking of a pregnancy risk, perhaps naively thinking that he hadn't been with anyone except Suzanne. His gaze hardened a little as he considered the implication that she must have slept with others since him to have a need for a coil.

John smiled and reached up with his right hand to stroke one of her nipples into a hardness that betrayed her own desire. He dipped his mouth down to her and took the other nipple in his mouth and teased it with his tongue drawing a pleasing moan from her.

Cadence sank her hands into his dark hair and let out another moan of pleasure as she raised her legs to wrap about John and pull him down towards her.

John leaned back and looked to her inquisitively with his dark eyebrows raised slightly. He felt a pant escape him and laughed. He was in good shape and yet here she was making him breathless!

His hands embraced her and he let his fingertips sink into her flesh slightly as he pulled her upright and into him.

Cadence wrapped her legs about his muscular form to support herself against him as he penetrated her. She gave a gasp of delight before she started to move her hips rhythmically against him, trying hard to ignore the slight twinge of pain she felt on her right side where the scar of a T marking her lingered. T for traitor. T for thief. T for tramp.

Cadence closed her eyes and kissed at John passionately as she started to the sweat and thought reluctantly of the humidity in Colombia where she had been marked. She was desperate to forget it all and let her tongue roam through John's mouth as she tried hard to lose herself in the moment.

John was almost standing upright as he balanced Cadence in his tight grasp and he pushed hard against her, giving a small grin as he felt the table push back with their efforts.

He wrapped his arms about her, one hand pressing against the warm skin of her hips whilst the other pressed her back forward causing her breasts to push into his chest. Assured that she was stable, he turned with her and suddenly dropped to floor, pushing her against the soft carpet.

Cadence had only a moment to adjust to her new position before he pushed against her again only faster this time. She reached a hand up to brush against his chest and marvelled at the taut muscles there before her fingertips stretched up against his cheek and then slid down to touch the corner of his mouth.

Cadence had a sudden flashback to Tom Landis' adorable crooked grin and she felt a sudden rush of confusion. She made herself focus on John as she reminded herself that he had suffered humiliation at her expense today and had gone out of his way to save a raccoon for her.

Cadence tried to match John's stamina with her own but her mental exhaustion was draining on her body now too and she felt fatigue threatening to end her adrenaline.

One of John's hands roamed over breasts, cupping them gently before he stirred her into another rush of pleasure by teasing at the nipples again. He kissed her and smiled as she bucked against him with the sudden throes of ecstasy.

John felt the damp warmth of Cadence's release and it brought his own about swiftly after.

As the wave of euphoria faded a sudden moment of irrational panic seized Cadence. She was trapped beneath John and soaked in sweat. It brought an unwanted rush of familiarity, a feeling of containment in sticky, sweaty conditions. For a moment her vision flashed to blackness and she was in that horrid van again feeling the cold steel of a gun nozzle against her head and wondering if the end had come.

John, basking in his moment of happiness, snapped back to reality as he felt the woman tense beneath him. He glanced down and saw the wild whites of her eyes showing and he knew she wasn't seeing him anymore.

John pulled away from her carefully, tipping his weight to the right so she wasn't underneath him anymore.

"Cady," he addressed her gently, "it's alright."

Cadence blinked in surprise and shook off the memory. She let out a curse, unable to understand why she kept getting overcome with it. This was meant to have been her distraction, her freedom from despair so why in the hell hadn't it worked? Why were her horrors already rushing to consume her?

The young woman realised as good as the sex had been she still felt an unpleasant hollowness. She sat up and smiled at John, determined to force back her moodiness.

"That was good."

John nodded. His chest was moving rapidly as he swallowed down his pants and tried to relax his elevated heart rate. Good was a little disheartening to hear but he knew Cadence well enough to know she wasn't one to pander to his ego just for the sake of it.

John reached out to stroke her hair. "You can stay the night you know," he addressed her gently, "you don't have to be alone."

Cadence tensed at his words and her grey-blue gaze filled with grief. She was always alone, Robbie had been taken from her, Benjamin had been a lie and John had never been hers to begin with. She knew John meant his words as a kind offer but she found them cruel.

"It's alright," she murmured, "it's...safer if I go."

"Cady-"

John tensed this time as Cadence pressed a single finger against his mouth, silencing whatever protest or offer he was ready to make.

"It really was good Mr Vice President," she said sincerely with a small smile, "but it is better if I go."

John wondered at her sudden desire to leave. He considered reminding her that she had stayed over before but recalled that she had been too inebriated to argue against staying then plus it was an unpleasant memory to conjure.

She moved her finger slowly down his mouth before leaning up and forward to kiss it again.

John reciprocated, light this time as he savoured her warm lips against his.

Cadence drew back and began to reach slowly for her clothes.

John pushed down his askew hair and fixed his zip as he watched her dress.

"Cady do you want to talk about today?" he queried calmly. "That is, whatever it is that's been getting at you?"

Cadence shook her head. "No sir, that defeats the purpose of trying to forget it," she retorted sardonically with another biting smile. She gave him another glance of gratitude. "Thank you though," she added with a little more warmth to her voice.

Once dressed, Cadence dismissed John's offer for one of his team to take her home. Instead she called the number Mike had pressed upon her. Figuring it was an office number, she was a little surprised when Mike picked up after three rings.

The agent sounded alert and wasn't bothered at her request for a lift, assuring her that he would be there in about twenty minutes.

Cadence looked about the study for a clock as she ended the call. It was almost one in the morning, she had been here for hours.

Cadence sat with John in an odd semi-silence for the next twenty minutes with only the crackle of the fire to break it up. She realised as she stared over at John how futile it all was. John was never going to leave Suzanne for her and the thing was that even though Cadence had never expected him to or asked him to that knowledge still hurt because she loved him. Cadence hadn't meant to love him and more often than not she didn't want to but there it was, a complicated, bitter, destructive love for a married man.

Cadence realised something else as well, that even though she told herself she didn't want a relationship after her difficulties with Robbie, Benjamin and John, the truth was she did. She needed something that wasn't secretive and poisonous. Yet she still wanted John, as she studied him there was an urge to take his clothes off and do it all over again. Regrets yes but a lesson learned? No.

Cadence knew she was her own worst enemy, eternally at war with herself and never seeming to win the war, even just for a second.

Cadence was relieved when a Secret Service agent knocked the door politely to inform them that a car was outside for Miss McGarry. She knew it was better she went home even if home was alone.

It had been two weeks since Cadence and John had rekindled their affair although nothing had happened between them since that night in the study. During the past two weeks the Eisenhower team had found themselves preoccupied with Senator Whyte's increasing hostile moves in the Senate as well as several ceremonial duties that Jed had sent John's way. If anyone noticed the complicated hum of heated attraction between Cadence and John they weren't commenting on it.

Today Cadence was paying a quick visit to the White House to wish Zoey luck. The President's party were heading to Rosslyn, Virginia today where the President would be giving a live meeting in the town hall. Zoey was going too, eager to support her father.

The West Wing was buzzing with energy as the staff bustled back and forth as they prepared for their journey to Rosslyn.

Cadence bypassed most of the busy workers with a brief hello as she searched for Charlie, knowing Zoey wouldn't be far from him.

The Public Relations Deputy was a little startled when Josh suddenly veered in her direction as he spied her. He blocked her pathway with folded arms and a frown.

"May I help you?" Cadence queried with a hint of mockery as she folded her arms in a mimic of his stance and gave him a curious stare.

Josh placed his hands down to rest assertively on his hips.

"I thought you liked Tom," he said accusingly.

Cadence was baffled as she stared back at him. "Tom?" she echoed. "Hey Josh you're still on Democratic grounds here, sure you can call him that?"

Cadence was surprised by the faint pink that tinted the Deputy Chief of Staff's cheeks briefly before he scowled back at her as disapproval gave way to anger.

"I tried to help you," he snapped as he pointed at her, "but you have to be you, hostile," he sneered, "and you blow him off."

Cadence let out a snort as she tried and failed to subdue a snicker.

"Josh what the hell?" she demanded. "Why do you even care?"

Josh's dark gaze filled with annoyance at her dismissive nature. He wondered himself why he cared. His anger was fresh as he had seen the congressman briefly this morning. They had had a recap meeting to discuss the environmental policy they were now working on together. Tom had asked innocently if Cadence was going to join any of their meetings as she had been a part of the policy getting agreed. Josh had shook his head with a mocking grin and said that thankfully VP staff were bound to the Eisenhower. When Tom had given a look of dismay Josh had realised things mustn't have worked out between the pair. He had felt relief at first before pity for Tom had annoyingly crept in.

Josh waved his hand out dismissively. "You know what I don't, I just don't like being a pawn in your game of jerking people about."

Cadence rolled her eyes at this as her anger crept onto her face, tugging her mouth into a scowl. She realised with frustration that most of her anger was for herself. Tom had given her his number and left it for her to call but she hadn't. Tom deserved better than someone who had had a one night stand with the Vice President.

"It's not like that," Cadence grumbled. "I like Tom but-"

"But what?" Josh snapped childishly. He was astonished at his tone and realised he was getting far too personal over this matter.

"But Tom deserves better," she admitted with a shrug. "Now, do you think you could let me past or should we go on Jerry Springer and really clear the air?" she snapped sarcastically. "You, me and Tom, they can call the segment 'My Boss' Daughter Won't Date My Secret Republican Friend'."

"He's not my friend," Josh protested quickly as he glanced about the corridor, fearful that someone might be listening into their odd argument.

"Then why the hell do you care so much?" Cadence demanded as she gave him a look of exasperation. "Come on Josh, don't you have something a little more important to be dealing with than my dating life?"

"Yes actually," he snapped heatedly with another glower.

Cadence shook her head at him angrily. "Then go deal with it," she snapped. "You know you really are an asshole sometimes," she grumbled.

Josh turned about the corridor wildly, annoyed at himself for once again letting Cadence get under his skin except he realised with a sudden jolt of surprise that maybe it wasn't just Cadence this time.

"Donna!" he yelled for his assistant, suddenly desperate for the distraction of the blonde.

He paced off calling for his assistant leaving Cadence to resume her travels.

It didn't take long for Cadence to find Charlie and Zoey secreted away in a slightly quieter office. The giveaway was Gina standing at the doorway looking appropriately serious. The Secret Service agent gave Cadence a glance of barely concealed disapproval before resuming her wary stare ahead.

"Hi Gina," Cadence greeted politely as she stepped up to the doorway.

Cadence glanced to the frosted glass of the door before giving a knock, wary of what she might be intruding upon.

She heard some partially muted yelling before a slightly aggrieved looking Charlie opened the door.

"Morning Charlie," Cadence greeted brightly.

"Morning," Charlie replied with a smile.

Although Charlie's smile was sincere it didn't quite reach his eyes and Cadence swiftly became aware of the tension in the room.

Zoey was standing in the middle of the room trying to banish the frustration from her face as she turned to face Cadence with joy.

"Cady Cat," Zoey called happily as she came to stand beside Charlie in the doorway.

"Am I interrupting something?" Cadence pried. "I just wanted to say goodbye and wish you luck for today B.B," she confessed.

Zoey's smile widened at Cadence's words. She shook her head and took a step back. "No, of course not," she insisted. "Come in, it's been ages since I've seen you."

"Well I've been working and you have been busy with college," Cadence reminded her.

Charlie stepped back and welcomed Cadence into the office space. He closed the door and looked to Cadence imploringly, hoping he might be able to find an ally in her today.

Cadence felt Charlie's intense stare and gave him a questioning glance in answer. She could still feel the tension in the room despite Zoey's smile.

"Guys, what's happened?" Cadence demanded.

"Threats," Charlie confessed bluntly in his usual pragmatic manner. "To Zoey for being seen with me, which is why it is better if I don't go today."

Zoey placed her hands on her hips and gave Charlie a cross stare.

"Nonsense!" the youngest Bartlet snapped. "You just don't want to go because you're struggling to get dad's attention today because you're embarrassed to share your material with him but it's good Charlie."

"What kind of threats?" Cadence demanded as she fixed a concerned stare on Zoey.

"The usual," Zoey snapped. "It's nothing new Cady, the same crap we've been getting since Charlie and I started dating."

"Zoey you need to take this seriously," Charlie berated her.

"I am," Zoey protested as she gave him another heated stare, "but I won't let my life be dictated by it. Are you saying we should give these people what they want and not date?"

"No," Charlie argued as he raised his left hand against his temple before lowering it again, "that's not what I'm saying at all. Zoey please," he pleaded with her as he gestured the hand out to her, "I just think for today it's better if I don't go."

"You're my boyfriend Charlie," Zoey protested, "I need your support and I want to be seen with you."

Charlie gave Cadence another pleading stare.

"Charlie I think Zoey's right," Cadence admitted, "you shouldn't let these people dictate your life but," she added sternly with a glance at Zoey, "you do need to take some serious precautions. Zoey, you are the President's daughter, threats to you shouldn't be dismissed. I know you've Gina but I take it the President and the Secret Service are aware of these threats?"

"Of course," Charlie answered, unable to conceal his dismay at Cadence's response, "but I still don't think-"

"Charlie give it up," Zoey interrupted him, "you're coming, alright? And I'm going to tell dad about your idea, which I think is your real concern here."

"Idea?" Cadence quipped.

Zoey nodded enthusiastically with a smile, happier to be onto a new topic. "Yes, Charlie has some material that will be good for dad to use at the meeting tonight but Charlie has no faith in himself and hasn't been able to give it to dad yet, which is why I'm going to tell him."

"Zoey now wait a minute," Charlie began another protest.

Cadence smiled and shook her head. "Young love," she teased, "you two are cute even when you're bickering."

Cadence glanced at her watch, ignoring the gaze of displeasure Zoey gave her at the teasing.

"Well B.B I've a lot of work to do yet so we'll keep this brief."

Cadence gave Zoey a grin before stepping forward and clapping her hands on her shoulders. "Be good, stick close to Gina, have fun and don't let your dad embarrass you too much," she concluded.

Zoey, pouting at the lecture, rolled her eyes at the conclusion before giving Cadence a smile. "It'll be fine," she insisted. She glanced from Cadence to Charlie with scorn. "You two are very dramatic," she scolded them.

Cadence pressed a hand against her chest theatrically. "Zoey how you wound me," she lamented sardonically. "Anyway, I'd better go say hi to dad before I leave. He always gets mad if I don't say hello when I'm here."

"Why is it you're here more than anyone else from the Eisenhower team?" Charlie queried. Feeling Zoey's scolding look he added hastily, "I mean that as a genuine question."

Cadence gave him a smile to show she wasn't offended by it. "Team building Charlie, I'm a big believer in it."

Cadence opened the office door and headed back out to the West Wing. She gave Gina a farewell that wasn't reciprocated before heading for her father's office. It was odd, even though her spirits had lifted a little, in part due to the better weather, she had a sense of unease today that she couldn't quite place. She figured it was maybe just because everyone here was a little more wired than usual as they scrambled to get everything ready before they left.

When she reached her father cadence felt a tad more at ease as he greeted her with a warm smile.

Leo was the calm in the storm of the West Wing today, probably because he didn't have to go on the trip. He waved Cadence into his office happily before wrapping up his phone call with the ambassador of France.

"Morning Cady," he greeted chirpily, "how are you?"

"Fine dad," Cadence assured.

It was the age old answer, sometimes it rang true and sometimes it didn't. Today Leo figured it was the former, Cadence's stare seemed bright and her smile was sincere. He was relieved to see it.

"Good," he said sincerely.

"I just wanted to say hi while I was here," she explained.

Leo nodded and glanced at the clock on his wall. "Well it's good timing, we can go for breakfast," he offered happily.

Leo stood up from his desk and reached back for the navy blazer resting there before Cadence could consider a rejection.

Cadence smiled. "Sure dad."

Leo gave her a happy smile in answer. "You wanna pay this time?" he queried teasingly. "I know a great place."

"If it's a place you know, it'll cost more than the entire building I live in," she retorted. "If I pay, I pick."

"Well I don't fancy stale bagels and cheese this morning so I guess I'm buying," Leo answered.