Lydia Boone could've killed her brother.

Putting the President on the phone with her like that, letting her sound like a clumsy idiot without half of a clue... It was incredibly rude. It was also incredibly uncalled for, though, given the firestorm on the news, they must not have had much time.

She really couldn't believe that a junior staffer would get on TV and say that no, the President isn't competent enough to run the country. (The actual quote that channel eight had was something like "President Kirkman couldn't run a kitchen, forget the White House, much less an entire country.") And then those tapes getting leaked? It was awful. And he'd announced his re-election bid, and she was so happy--so proud of her brother, too, but someone good was in the White House. Not a real politican, but someone good.

The country needed a little more good. Lydia was standing outside her apartment complex when the black Escalade pulled up outside. She knew better than to run down there without figuring out who it was first, but when Lyor climbed out of the passenger side, she couldn't help herself. Her tote bag, propped against her leg, tipped over to lean on her purse as she all but leapt towards her brother.

"Lyds!" Her older brother wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around in a way that made her feet come off the ground. "I missed you, baby sister."

She playfully smacked his shoulder as he put her down. "I'm not a baby, you know. I've dated more guys than you have."

·§·

Mike hid a smile behind his hand. The political director's little sister had a sense of humor--and, apparently, was the only one who could keep up with her brother's sarcasm and banter.

"That's because I've never dated a guy."

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She noted the raising of the Secret Service agent's eyebrows before pursing her lips. Maybe nobody can keep up with her either, he thought to himself. "I still think that you and Matt Winston were--"

"Oh-kay then, baby sister, let's get in the car, no need to bring up Matt Winston."

The look that she threw Mike told a very different story, but she returned to where she'd left her things, picked them up, and climbed into the backseat. Lyor, to Mike's surprise, got in next to her and shut the door.

It took Mike less than thirty seconds to get into the driver's seat after watching the Boone siblings get themselves in the car, Lydia's bright pink shoulder bag--filled to the brim with manilla file folders and notebook papers and what had appeared to be a novel of some sort--and all. When he did, though, Lydia was grinning from ear to ear, and Lyor seemed to be doing his best impression of a tomato.

This would be a fun ride to the White House.

·§·

By the time they pulled into the roundabout that made up half of the front entrance, Mike had explained the obvious rules and security policies, and told her that her credientials should be at the front door.

And then hadn't managed to get another word in between the sarcastic remarks of the Boones.

They'd managed to go from Matt Winston--okay, so, Mike was definitely googling that name when he got home--to Lydia's concerns about working with her brother, which Mike had thought was normal. Except Lyor responded with, "Listen, everybody's pretty cool. Except Aaron, he's a snake." Mike didn't know how he felt about the political director talking about the national security advisor like that, but he really wasn't prepared for "Like, Lyds, you're a baby snake. Total Slytherin, yeah, fine, which I still think makes you a Hufflepuff"--at which point Lydia screeched, "Lies!"--"but if you're a baby snake, then he's a full grown king cobra with an attitude problem."

"He can't be that bad." The knowing smile was evident in her voice. The brother and sister had probably had this conversation before.

"Oh, yes, he can, and yes, he is."

"His only attitude problem, Ly, is probably that it messes with your attitude."

"I don't have an attitude."

The younger girl only hummed in response. By this point, they were getting out of the car, the bright pink bag in Lyor's hand--to Lydia's apparent dismay, if the smirk on her brother's face had anything to say about it--and heading to the door. The smirk on Lyor's face was exchanged for a small smile--only the corners of his mouth turned up--as they arrived at the door.

The doors were opened by the security guards who stood there, as they were for everyone who they allowed inside this way. But clearly Lydia wasn't expecting it, and she stopped right up on her toes as she realized the doors were being opened for them.

Okay, fine. Even Mike thought that was kind of funny.

Lyor ushered his sister along. Both of the Boones gave a thank-you-nod to the guards, though Lydia's came with a smile. Mike nodded at the men he worked with and led them to the security desk.

They got her credentials. Mike performed the check on her bag to speed up the process, handing it back to her--Lyor took out of his hand, though, much to Lydia's (again) scoffing disappointment. Mike gave her an 'I tried' smile. They left the security desk, and the gentlemen who sat there rolled his eyes behind the Boones at Mike. "They're pretty cool," he offered, tapping the top of the desk and making to follow Lyor.

Lyor attached the badge they'd gotten for her to the lanyard, still carrying her bag, and Lydia had pulled it on and fixed her hair and the collars of her shirt and jacket. They were still bickering, still going back and forth--"How do I know you didn't leave something out, Lyor?" and then "I told you, you're going to do great, baby sister." (Lydia Boone did not like being called 'baby sister', and what happened next was proof.) "Lyor, you got married. In Vegas. And didn't tell me." (Married? Mike thought. Alright then.)--when a door right in front of them opened, nearly taking both of them out.

President Kirkman stepped out, Emily at his side. "You must be Lydia. It's a pleasure to meet you."