Vice President John Hoynes squinted slightly in the soft Virginian morning sun. He knew he was being exploited but since it meant that the President of the United States was now depending on his skills he couldn't help but feel a certain smugness about it.

John had gotten the rundown yesterday in a phone call from Jed that had been just a tad distorted as it had been made from a car phone. Judge Markway was playing hardball and looking favours to run for Senate and stubborn Jed didn't see that a man needed a favour to run for Senate when surely becoming a senator was its own reward. Jed had also grumbled about how people of the party were supposed to be loyal and obedient to their party leader. John had patiently tuned out Jed's ranting and opted to sip at a vodka instead of remind Jed that he was the one who had shown disloyalty to the Democratic Party with his secrecy.

As the President of the Senate, it was as much of a risk for John to converse with Laurence Markway as it was for Jed, hell perhaps more so as John was the ranking leader of the Senate.

Part of John figured dryly that maybe there wasn't much risk after all if they weren't going to win again. Learning that Jed was running again had taken some of the fight from John. A four year wait on the presidency was alright but eight years and then counting on the people to want the same party in all over again was just that much harder. John was only four years older than when he had first started out but he felt like he had aged a lot more than that and he dreaded what the next four years might do to him.

John had wondered only briefly at the location choice until Leo had contacted him this morning and made murmurings about today being Cadence's birthday and a reluctant request for John to join him and the president later with the possibility of visiting the young woman. John knew from Leo's tone that he was probably getting exploited again by being asked to visit Cadence, that something had already managed to happen in the two brief days Leo and Jed had been here. John figured Leo or Jed or both had blundered into some accusations to Tom and the fact that he obviously intended to run for the senator's seat for Virginia which undoubtedly would have upset Cadence.

John put the young woman from his mind as he entered the private quarters booked for his meeting with the judge. It was an unremarkable two storey brick building on the outskirts of Chesapeake city, noteworthy only for the security lingering around it. There was a mixture of guarding personnel- the Secret Service who shadowed John and the judge's own private security.

John entered through an unguarded lobby, heading through to a back office where the judge was waiting. He was suitably suited and booted for the meeting- sharp, navy suit, crisp, white shirt, a plain blue tie to highlight his allegiance to his party, polished shoes and the small pin of an American flag on his lapel to showcase his devotion to his country. His handsome, photogenic appearance was just another thing for Jed to exploit and find fault with it, sure Jed had an appealing, homely face but his was an average attraction, the man to relate to but John was the poster boy, the one to envy and lust after. Jed was heartfelt and John was charming, if they got on better they might have a stronger chance at re-election.

Judge Markway stood to attention at John's arrival, greeting him with a small smile.

"Good morning Mr Vice President."

John nodded back politely. "Good morning judge."

The room was a small space with two opposing, dark green, leather couches and a dark wooden coffee table between them. There was nothing on the table and John knew no coffee would be forthcoming much as he craved it. This meeting was too sensitive to risk eavesdropping waiting staff with innocent offers of coffee.

Laurence sat back down leaving John to take the couch opposite him.

John fixed a calm smile upon the judge as he sat, his cerulean eyes twinkling with a bright cheer. He crossed his legs and clasped his palms together in his lap.

"Laurence, we both know why I'm here," John remarked calmly. "Look, I won't mince words, the president is asking you to run for senate to go against the Republican challenger, and I know that's not exactly the same as saying he wants you to run because he wants you there. You need to see it this way however, he thinks you're the best man for this job, there are other Democrats in the state of Virginia to reach out to, some of who will be planning on running anyway."

"What happens after I win?" Laurence quipped.

John's grin widened, amused by the man's smug confidence.

"Then you're in the Senate for five years representing the good state of Virginia."

Laurence smiled this time and shook his head. "Sir, I do this for the president then I don't want to become forgotten in the Senate, one of the many."

"Well Laurence, it's the Vice President who is President of the Senate," John reminded him, "and that's me and I remember my allies."
John took care to say 'my' and not 'our', if Jed wanted a victory for the party he could have it but John wasn't so loyal that he'd let Jed take the glory and power that went with it.

Laurence raised his thin eyebrows slightly at this, taking note of John's word choice.

"And how do you treat your allies?" Laurence queried.

"Fairly Laurence. Don't be foolish on this one, you're sticking on pride, I know that because I've been there. He didn't ask you because he liked you, he asked you because there's a threat. He didn't ask me out of fondness either," John remarked with a hint of bitterness.

"But he's asked you again," Laurence pointed out.

John nodded grimly as his smile faded. "After his confession he can't do it with anyone else. The same way if Landis is going to run we can't beat him with anyone else other than you. Jed doesn't have to like people to see their skills and it's better to be valued for your talents than liked."

"Hmm well it's better to be both."

John shook his head. "Just because you're nice doesn't make you good. Landis has the likeability factor but he's weak, you'll win this. It will be an easy victory you for you, a chance at the Senate with the Vice President as your ally," he added as he smiled.

"Ally," Laurence repeated. "I wondered why you didn't say friend initially but now I understand."

Laurence fixed a stern gaze on the V.P. "I asked the president to denounce Landis," he admitted. "I think Landis will get favour because it seems like the president and his Chief of Staff do like him."

John gave a sardonic smile at this. "The Chief of Staff's daughter lives with Landis, you know that, and denouncing him is just going to hand him votes."

Laurence frowned. "Well I think the president's support for me needs to be more clear cut."

"Laurence he has come to talk to you personally and now he's had me come down the very next day, yes it's secret but his support couldn't be clearer. When you are the leading Democrat running, I will ensure support for you is clear."

John didn't bother to state just how eager he would be to support Laurence when the time came because just like Jed it wasn't about Laurence winning for John, it was about seeing Tom Landis lose.

Laurence nodded before glancing to the right momentarily. He turned a neutral gaze back to John. "Alright then, I'll run."

John smiled again and stood, offering his hand out to the judge.

Laurence stood as well and accepted the hand.

Satisfied with the conclusion, John retreated back outside to his waiting car. At last he permitted his mind to drift to Cadence McGarry. He hadn't seen her in two years and yet she had remained a presence in his life. She had kept contact with his aides Gavin and Sandra and given them advice and ideas to help with John's popularity. It was her guidance that had helped steer John smoothly through the mess Jed had made by admitting his Vice President had known all about his M.S and helped conceal it from the world. With Cadence's advice it had been spun as a show of deep loyalty, how despite fearing the consequences John could never betray his leader's confidence. John had cancelled his Chief of Staff Cal's attempts to replace Cadence, instead splitting the role amongst his team and ignoring Cal's cutting comments about sentimentality.

John wondered how Cadence was. He had pried about her politely now and then with Leo, knowing if he queried too often it would garner suspicion. Leo had never given him the full truth but John had suspected that was because embarrassingly Leo didn't know it. Leo had never believed he could be devoted to both his West Wing family and his actual family, it was why he was divorced, had a turbulent relationship with his eldest daughter and avoided confronting the complications of his youngest. For Leo, Cadence was out of sight and out of mind and he probably figured since she was out of the limelight she was improved.

John was both surprised and hurt that she had been gone from him this long. He had expected a few months but not years. It had him wondering if it was Landis' influence or if Cadence was truly so troubled she could not face their world anymore.

The thought of Tom Landis had John reaching for the bottled water and wishing it was vodka. He'd considered stocking the car with alcohol but knew it was a temptation he would submit to knowing how on edge Cadence put him. That was the torment, he had every fondness for her, hell the forbidden word lingered at the edges of his mind any time he thought of her but his frustrations at being denied her drove him to dark temptations.

John thought of Cadence's boyfriend. Tom Landis was a loser, politically and personally, a middle-aged man with a failed career in politics, attractive enough but nothing remarkable, charming but in a sickening nice boy fashion, and a doormat for the Democrats even when he attempted to be the good boy Republican rebelling against them. Yet Tom was a winner too because he had Cadence, she had chosen him over John, and two years later John still couldn't fathom why. He told himself it was because Tom was safe and she was scared, shaken by a terrible kidnapping she had fallen foul of when the kidnappers had taken her in place of the president's daughter Zoey. It was the latest in a long list of terrible traumas, far too many for a woman so young to handle and John figured she'd finally submitted to her terrors and fled with Tom. His hope was that she would summon back her calm, conquer her fears and realise that Tom wasn't who she really wanted.

Tom folded his arms as he surveyed the arrivals on his doorstep.

"Two years and we don't see you but now it's twice in one week, following the feast or famine philosophy?" he quipped sardonically.

Of the trio looking back at him, only Mallory smiled at the comment.

"I brought the cake, try to be tolerable Tom," Leo retorted. He half-raised the white box in his clutches pointedly.

Tom arched his dark eyebrows at this and stared back at the man. "I think you mean tolerant."

"No, tolerable," Leo insisted firmly.

"Gentlemen, we're not even through the door yet," Jed interrupted. "Now Tom, it's rude to keep your guests outside, invite us in and let's all agreed that Cady is going to have a good birthday."

"Le's see the cake," Tom demanded.

Leo sighed in annoyance. "In the house, it's not light."

"Hope it wasn't cheap either," Tom retorted bitingly.

He made a show of glancing at his silver watch before offering them a sardonic smile. "Well at least you've called at a decent hour. Come in then."

Tom finally stepped away from the doorway allowing the trio and their Secret Service entourage to follow him into the house.

"Where is Cady?" Mallory pried.

Mallory gave the lobby a quick glance, she had seen it all before having visited multiple times over the past couple of years, travelling down during the holiday periods.

Tom glanced over to her and flashed a quick smile. "She's in the sitting room watching The Raccoons."

Mallory smiled back at this. "I'll go say hi."

Mallory scurried off leaving Tom to direct Leo and the president to the kitchen to set down the cake.

The sitting room was downstairs at the back of the house, a small room that seemed like it should serve some other purpose. It offered the same view of the stretch of grass and trees as the living room but it had no balcony and the shuttered blinds on the windows obscured the view.

Cadence and Tom had half-contemplated turning into 'their spot' but the constantly half-felt presence of Tom's deceased family was here as it was throughout the rest of the house. It was a sombre almost suffocating sense that the house was someone else's and should be for something else other than a respite for a damaged young woman and her partner.

Mallory found Cadence in the room on a low two seater chair bundled up in a swan patterned blanket that was instantly familiar to her.

"Isn't it a bit warm for that old thing?" Mallory quipped.

Cadence, who had glanced over upon hearing the door handle being turned, gave her sister a smile. "It's cosy."

Mallory nodded. "It's also old and smelly. What have you got on under there?"

"Just my birthday suit, seemed appropriate," Cadence retorted teasingly.

Mallory grinned back even as she shook her head. "Well I do hope you have fun running about in that in front of dad and the President of the United States."

Cadence's smile dimmed slightly. "They're here then."

"Of course, with your cake."

Mallory gestured for her sister to move up the chair so she could take a seat beside her.

"I heard I missed the real party," she mused. "Sam of course only told me half of what really happened I'm sure." She faced her sister with another smile. "It's okay though because C.J ratted them all out. Was Josh Lyman really sick in your living room?"

Cadence dipped her head slightly before weaving a hand through her loose fair waves. "Yeah, I think so. I didn't witness it."

Mallory's dark gaze turned serious. "Cady, I know dad and Jed have been jerks but at the same time they really do want to celebrate your birthday. Politics is their livelihood and it is coming up to election I suppose. I mean I was mad at them too but today is your birthday, you'll feel better if you put it behind you and try to have a good day."

Cadence nodded but her gaze was still on her lap as she fidgeted with a paper creation on it.

"Tom is running for Senate," she said quietly.

"Yeah, dad mentioned that," Mallory admitted. "In a colourful, irate fashion but I caught the just of it. Given he quit being a congressman it's an admirable turnaround that he could even be considered to run."

Cadence gave a small smile at this. "That's diplomatic of you."

"Well, are you mad at him then?" Mallory pried.

Cadence sighed and continued to fold creases in the paper in her hands. "Yes," she confessed, "though I'm trying hard not to be. I told him to run and that I would support him. He's spent two years focused on me and he gave up his career for me, I'm not going to hold him back from this."

"Ah."

Mallory raised her copper eyebrows slightly and offered her sister a knowing stare.

"What?" Cadence demanded. "What does ah mean?"

"That this is a guilt thing. You don't want Tom to run do you? But you will support him anyway because you feel obligated to."

Cadence frowned again. "Mal do you think you should've been a shrink instead of a teacher?" she retorted sardonically.

"Don't evade the question Cady."

Mallory gave her sister a playful nudge. "Look, it's your birthday and I don't want to add to your mood but Cady, you live with Tom and it seems pretty serious, can you live with being a senator's girlfriend? It's at least a five year commitment and he's not liable to quit twice, is he?"

"I have missed some of it," Cadence admitted quietly. "The rush of being in D.C, that energy that was there in the Eisenhower, we were active and busy all the time, never a dull moment," she mused with another small smile. "You could start your morning there and suddenly be having lunch in Alabama with the governor and then hopping on a plane to France to meet their Vice President." Her smile widened. "They had these incredible cheese puffs over there, I had so many John got the recipe from the chef."

"John." Mallory honed in on Cadence's familiar speaking of the Vice President. She knew exactly who her sister meant.

Mallory knew Cadence's relationship with her former boss was decidedly complicated and a little deeper than just co-workers but she could never pinpoint anything more than that. Mallory guessed that John just had a fondness for her sister because Cadence had been there at the start of his campaign and unlike Josh, who had been there too, Cadence had returned to him.

Cadence dipped her head back to her lap and the origami piece there.

"The Vice President," she corrected quickly. "Anyway, I don't know about Tom, I mean it wasn't the lifestyle that caused everything wrong in my life, not really, it's just it led to the exposure of it all I suppose. I mean, I was in Colombia trying to do charity work when that all happened... If I hadn't been so public the C.I.A wouldn't have tried to exploit that and I wouldn't have had to go back again but..."

Cadence trailed off and swallowed hard. She jumped suddenly when there was a soft knock on the door.

Tom opened the door and looked in curiously. "Are you two ready to join us in the living room?"

Although Tom's tone was light his blue stare was pleading.

Mallory was looking to Cadence with concern. "Sure."

Mallory stood up and waited for Cadence to follow suit.

Cadence fumbled with the origami piece, abandoning it to the small, round table beside her. She grabbed the remote from there, turned the television off and stood up, letting the blanket fall to the chair. She revealed that she was wearing a simple but flattering midnight blue dress, plain, fitted and verging on casual with a diamond and silver necklace glittering just above the cut at her bust.

"Wow look at that," Mallory marvelled as she reached out a hand to lift the diamond pendant which was cut to resemble a glittering star.

Cadence gave another smile before looking to Tom fondly. "Tom bought it for my birthday."

"A star for my star," Tom jested. He held up his hands apologetically and shook his head. "I know, I know, truly terrible."

"Well it's beautiful even if the pun wasn't," Mallory enthused as she released it.

Tom turned and started leading the way to the living room, pausing when he heard the doorbell chime.

"Hmm, I wonder who that could be," he murmured. He glanced to the ladies and gave his lopsided grin. "Hopefully no more Democrats, they cleaned out my liquor cabinet last time."

He headed for the front door leaving Mallory and Cadence to continue heading to the living room. They hesitated when Tom's loud cursing suddenly filled the house.

"Son of a bitch!"

The yell was followed by the loud slamming of the door.

The tension in the room was palpable, so much so that Mallory was considering using the intervention skills she had been taught by her peers to use with children who were having a quarrel.

They sat in the living room with an awkward silence that was akin to the heavy soundless atmosphere that came when someone had died. It was a thickness in the air that came with the muggy unpleasantness of a rainy day and promised to linger for hours sullying the mood.

Tom, the unhappy host, sat cross legged, chin in his hand as he stared angrily at a wall having opted for a rage filled silence over mad mutterings about 'demon Democrats'.

Jed was standing, lingering by the windows contemplating escape to the balcony and wondering, just like Mallory, if he should use some negotiation tactics to lift the mood. He had hoped the arrival of the latest guest would do that but figured it was maybe just one too many Democrats for Tom.

The latest guest, the Vice President of the United States, sat opposite their hostess, stealing glances at her as secretively as he could. He knew coming here had been a terrible idea and yet just seeing her had caused a spark in him that he had thought long gone.

"Do you still sing Cady?" John quipped. "You used to always sing on your birthday."
Cadence stared back at him as her mind scrambled for an answer. She had been shell shocked by his appearance, frozen into silence when she had raced to the door to see who Tom had yelled at. Then there had been a fresh anger for Jed and Leo for not telling her that the VP was going to show up at her house. It had been all she could do to keep Tom from punching him, instead inviting John in and trying to appear less like his old lover and more like his former employee.

"Sometimes," she admitted quietly.

"Music would be a good idea," Mallory jumped upon the idea. She glanced about the living room before realising there was no television here. "Do you guys have a radio?"

"In the kitchen," Tom murmured.

"Well we could get that and the cake too," Mallory suggested.

"We may as well just go to the kitchen then," Leo pointed out dryly.

Leo felt some guilt that his daughter's birthday wasn't exactly a thriving event but he countered to himself that Cadence probably didn't want the party lifestyle anymore. Alcohol had become too much the easy vice of distraction for her leading her dangerously close to addiction as her father had been and it had been from a party that she was kidnapped so, Leo figured, quiet and subdued was perhaps what Cadence wanted now. The thought prompted him to shoot Tom another narrowed glower, a Senate centred lifestyle was far from quiet and subdued.

"Well it would be better than here," Jed ventured. "Cady, you can open your gifts and tell us what you do for fun when Leo and I aren't ruining your day." He gave her a small, apologetic smile.

Leo frowned but before he could chide Jed, John spoke.

"What do you do for fun?" John pried. "If it's not karaoke and bars anymore. What can we do?" He gave Cadence an encouraging smile. "It is your birthday and I'm not going to believe that sitting in the house is your favourite thing. Come on, we're all here now Cady and at your disposal."

Tom bristled at the man's words and gave him a scathing stare.

Cadence, to her credit, did not react to the implied double meaning of John's words. "I..." She glanced Tom's way and his stare softened at the plea in her eyes.

Tom gave Cadence the lopsided smile she favoured, damned if he would let John's presence ruin the evening.

"Air hockey," he said. Tom looked to the others with a cheerful glimmer in his gaze. "She's very competitive too, almost took my eye out with the puck last time."

"Air hockey," Leo repeatedly dryly as if sounding out something that was foreign to him but he somehow knew came with an unpleasant meaning.

Tom nodded. "Yes, there's an arcade place in town." He grinned again. "Cady likes most of those games, especially the ones that have stuffed animals as prizes. She's got three of them upstairs."

"Right, well, we're not doing that," Leo muttered. "Could you imagine," he added sardonically, "the President and the Vice President in an arcade."

Jed spied Cadence's sudden look of dismay, noticing how for a moment there had been a spark of excitement in the young woman, which was the first real show of a positive emotion he had seen in her.

"Now Leo, I am a man of the people and if I want the common people to vote for me surely I must demonstrate that I'm not so out of touch as to not enjoy something like er..." Jed glanced Cadence's way. "What was it...hockey?"

"Air hockey," Cadence corrected with a grin.

"Sir no," Leo protested.

"Leo, you and I killed the day here and we both know it, let's leave the funeral and make amends. Get Josh on the phone and make some arrangements so that this arcade place can be secured for us."

"You're not really a man of the people if you chuck the people out," Tom piped up cynically.

"I'm also not a wise man if I leave myself open for attack," Jed countered. "There is the positive that it means Cadence can have as many turns as she likes to beat John at this air hockey thing."

Mallory giggled. "I'm definitely taking pictures of this."

"Sir please," Leo pleaded.

Jed gestured to Cadence with one hand. "Leo, it is Cadence's birthday and we have made enough of a shambles of it, it's time for amends." Jed looked to Cadence again. "This is amending isn't it Cadence?"

Cadence smiled up at him. "Yes sir."

"Good, good. Come on Leo, don't be so stuffy, I'm sure we'll find a game you like."

"I'm not stuffy sir!"

"Enough Leo, round up the gang of miscreants, get this place secured and make sure Josh and company know alcohol is off limits this time."

John stood up and gave Cadence another smile. "I think I'll have a bathroom break before we leave, can you show me the way?"

Tom jumped up in a flash. "I will," he snapped. He gestured to the living room door. "Come on."

Tom started walking off without bothering to check if John was following.

John gave Cadence a sympathetic smile before following after the man.

It was only when the pair were in the privacy of the corridor leading to the bathroom that Tom turned to confront John.

"I have no idea why you suddenly decided to crawl out from whatever bed you've been in and come here but you don't touch her," Tom snapped at the Vice President hotly.

John looked down to Tom with a practised smile of harmless charm. "Tom, I am here at the President's pleasure and I'll stay at Cadence's pleasure."

John's smile widened as Tom flustered, his cheeks reddening slightly as he clenched his fists.

"She didn't miss you," Tom grumbled. "And you can't have missed her, not one call from you."

"That you know of," John taunted as he sidestepped the Republican. He gestured to a door and grinned back to Tom. "Is it this one?"

"Yeah, you can continue with the shit sharing in there."