Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has been reading and oh so patiently waiting for me to update this story. I'm sorry for the radio silence and a recent rewatch had be back to the drawing board to update this story so I hope you enjoy it.

The pregnancy scare was behind them, along with their talk of children but the chaos at the White House hadn't stopped. Not as crazy, but never totally slowing down to a standstill. He was walking through the halls of the West Wing, heading to meet with the President on something he wanted to talk to him, with no inclination as to what. He smiled when he walked passed Emily's office, finding her hunched over a file with a pen between her teeth in concentration. He didn't have time to stop, but he always loved to catch her while she wasn't aware. He knocked on the Oval Office's door and waited for Kirkman to call him in, which took only a few seconds.

"You wanted to see me sir?"

"Take a seat Aaron." He removed his glasses before pushing himself up from his chair and taking a seat on one of the couches, facing Aaron. "You must be wondering what I want to talk to you about."

"Sir?"

"Before I give my speech tomorrow, I want to begin with an announcement on my running mate, and I would like that to be you." Aaron exhaled a breath he had been holding.

"I'm deeply honoured."

"Yeah, well before you say that, I'd be remised if I didn't warn you about what you were getting into. Absolute loss of privacy, in fact, in no shape or form would your life be your own."

"I understand."

"No, you don't. That's what I'm trying to convey."

"Sir." Aaron pushed his tie back against his chest and sat on the edge of the couch. "If it's not impertinent, there is something that I have to ask you."

"Shoot."

"I need to know you're not choosing me because I'm Latino."

"I respect the question." Kirkman stood. "And I hope that you'll respect my answer. The easiest way for me to say is that I hired the right man for the job." He leaned against his desk, pushing his hands in his pant pockets. "And as much as I believe that, the honest answer is, I don't know. I'm not immune to the arguments of the electoral advantage, but I can tell you this Aaron. If at any point the campaign were to treat your heritage in a way that made you uncomfortable, come to me and I would make an immediate course correction."

"I appreciate that, sir."

"I know it's a lot to take in, and not a decision that can be taken lightly."

"I'll have to talk with Emily about this, it's not something I can walk back from."

"No, it is not, that is why I want the two of you to think about it. And don't forget Aaron." Kirkman extended his hand. "There is no bad answer here."

"Thank you, sir." They shook hands before Aaron left the room. He needed to find Emily, tell her about this, needing to know her thoughts about it. When he didn't find her in her office, he made his way to Seth's, hoping to find her in there.

"Hey man, what's up? Seth looked up from what he was writing.

"Have you seen Emily? I really need to talk to her."

"No, I haven't. Is everything alright Aaron? You seem out of it."

"It's nothing, just something I need to talk to her about first."

"If I see her, I'll send her your way."

"Thanks." He tapped on the frame before going back to his office. His mind was full of thoughts, questions, doubts, but the day still wasn't over, and he needed to keep going, no doubt the chaos catching up to him. He got called quickly to deal with another crisis and his head had to get in the game.

It was late when he made it back into his office. He felt like his tie was choking him and he pulled it roughly with both hands.

"I need a drink." He grumbled under his breath.

"That bad?" Aaron jumped at the sound of Emily's voice.

"You have no idea." He sighed.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked with risen eyebrows.

"I'd rather do that at home."

"We can do that." She smiled at him. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Let mee just grab some paperwork."

"No, not tonight, Aaron. You need to get your head out of this place."

"You're right." He smiled back at her. "Let's go."

The drive back to the house was quiet, Aaron's thoughts now back on the proposition the President had sprung on him only a few hours prior. Emily would eye him every now and then as he drove, and she could see it on his face that something was bothering him, but she didn't press for now. She figured that with time, he would confide in her. He parked and they walked towards the house, Emily taking the tow. She was worried, his lack of words unsettling, the muscles of his back were tense, she could see it through his suit jacket.

"I'm going to pour myself a glass of wine, it's been a long day." She pushed the front door closed and put her clutch on the front table. "Aaron?" She questioned when he hadn't taken an extra step inside the house. Her answer came in the form of her body being pressed against the front door, his hands on her cheeks and his lips on hers. He pressed himself into her, his tongue battling hers for control, trying to gain some control over something. He moved his hands over her legs, raising her skirt higher.

Emily tried to resist his advances, but her body was betraying her. She slipped her hands under his jacket, pulling him into her body. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she pushed him lightly, trying to catch her breath. "Aaron." She breathed out deeply.

"No." He tried kissing her again, but she pushed back against him.

"Talk to me, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Em."

"I know you; I know something is bothering you." She kissed him softly. "Tell me."

"You're going to think it's crazy."

"No, I won't."

"Kirkman asked me to run next to him as his VP."

"What?" She straightened her skirt and looked at him in the eyes, the turmoil still clear in them.

"You heard right." He pulled the tie out of its noose and pulled roughly from around his neck.

"We've got to talk about this Aaron."

"I know, it's been playing on my mind all day."

"It all makes sense now."

"I'm sorry. I should have told you about this before." He caged her between his arms, taking a few deep breaths, his forehead resting gently against her chest.

"We can talk about it now if you want."

"Only if you play something for me."

"Let me change and I'll play whatever you want." She pulled him from the lapel of his jacket and led him to their room. "Tell me more about it?" They spoke as they changed into more comfortable clothes. She listened to him talk about it, the fears he was harbouring about the reason behind the choice, his, up until now, lack of aspiration for running for office, the lack of privacy their life would take if they went along with it among other things.

"Well our private lives stopped being exactly that the second the press found out we were dating." She pulled him down the stairs by the hand.

"This would be some other level kind of lack of privacy."

"We can handle it together Aaron."

"You think I should go ahead with it?" He asked as he poured them both a glass of wine.

"I think that you have been Chief of Staff to the President, you are his National Security Advisor and you're knowledgeable and proud and you want everyone to have the best chance at succeeding and reaching their dreams. You want what is best for the American people and so does President Kirkman and I think you would make a pretty kick ass team for the country."

"And what team are you on?" He handed her a glass before taking a sip himself.

"Vice President Aaron Shore sounds pretty hot if you ask me." She smiled as he straddled the bench next to her.

"Is my potential new title all you're interested in Emily Rhodes?" He chuckled, pushing a strand of hair behind her shoulder.

"That'll never be anything but a title Aaron. What we have here, between these four walls, will always be everything."

"You know we won't be staying in here if we win."

"Maybe, but this is home, no matter what happens when this campaign ends."

"How about we see it was we go?"

"I can work with that. What's your request?" She leaned into him.

"Why don't you decide?" He smiled at her.

"Okay." She positioned her fingers against the keys and took a deep breath. The sound hit Aaron's ears and he recognized the song. Emily had been playing the album on loop when she was in the tub every night and the song was her favourite. Adele had a way of calming Emily after a crazy day, and now it was her way of helping him to be calm after reaching the most important decision of his political career. Emily's support meant everything to him, and he wouldn't even be contemplating making this kind of huge sacrifice without her by his side.

"Thank you."

"For what?" She shifted on the bench.

"For always standing by me, for accepting to jump into this crazy adventure and for everything that you're going to sacrifice for it."

"Not nearly as much as you." She moved around, straddling Aaron's lap. "You are going to do great things Aaron Shore."

"Promise me that if I do something that you don't agree with you will not let me off the hook." He wrapped his arms around her waist while she wrapped hers around his neck.

"That is a promise I will gladly keep." She leaned down and pressed her lips to his to seal the promise.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He maneuvered them off Emily's piano bench and walked them up the stairs as their lips continued doing the talking. The made love, Aaron reiterating his commitment to her first and they fell asleep sated and at peace with the decision that they had taken together.

Emily watched Aaron get ready the following morning in silence. He was methodical, a garment bag hanging from their closet, ready for the evening and the announcement that came with it, but she could see that the wheels of his head turning.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"What? No, why?" He turned around as he raised his suspenders over his shoulders.

"One, that isn't legal." She pointed at him only for him to chuckle. "Two, I could see you thinking."

"Did you now?" He ignored her first comment, knowing full well how illegal he knew she thought his suspenders were.

"We've gone through enough to know what something is on your mind." She straightened his tie

"I'm just nervous I guess."

"You don't have to be, Kirkman has as much faith in you as I do. You'll be great."

"Thanks." She simply kissed him in reply.

"Come on, you wouldn't want our president waiting."

"Definitely not." He agreed. They finished getting ready and they walked out with Aaron placing a hand on her lower back. Seth made it to the White House a step behind them as they chatter.

"Uh oh, something is going on."

"What are you talking about Seth?" Emily looked ahead, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"You two, something is different. Are you pregnant Em?" He said loud enough that people around them could hear.

"What? NO! Will you keep your voice down?" Aaron only chuckled, earning a death stare from her. "Why would you even think that?"

"Just throwing it out there." He shrugged. "So?"

"We can't say anything yet, but you'll find out soon enough. The three of them walked inside at the same time, Seth trying pointlessly to find out what the other two were hiding, Emily simply laughing it up.

"Aaron, Emily and Seth.

"Mr. President."

"Can I steal Aaron for a minute?"

"I'll be in my office with a press release for whatever you guys are not telling me." Emily made eye contact with Aaron and gave him a smile before letting him walk to the Oval Office with the President.

"Have you spoken with Emily?" He invited Aaron to take a seat on the couch and sat opposite him.

"I have Sir, at length."

"What is her thought on all of this?"

"She supports me and she's ready to do it with me."

"So, is that yes?" He stood with a hopeful smile on his face.

"Yes Sir." Aaron stood as well, buttoning his suit jacket and taking the hand his President was extending to him. "It would be a great privilege for me to accept." The handshake sealing Aaron and Emily's future.

A/N: So Aaron and Emily make one of the most important decisions of their lives but how will this impact them going forward? I hope you guys liked my slight twist in the original SL and please take a few seconds to review before you go, I always love to read your thoughts. - Sarra