"Pleasure to see you, Miss Tancredi –"

"Please, Senator. I don't think formalities are in order at this point."

The four people took their respective seats, with Sara and Kellerman behind the office, Theodore Bagwell and John Abruzzi on the visitors' side.

Below surface, Sara's blood was boiling at the sight of Bagwell's triumphant grin, but a lot of times – this time, at least – the surface was what mattered.

Of course, each side acted with a confidence that indicated their sure victory in that race for the oval. Come to think of it, Sara was rather grateful that Senator Bagwell had been the one to run against her, even if it had led to all of this – the world of politics was all greys and concessions, and it was rare enough you had the utmost certainty you were fighting off someone really evil.

Gotta like a challenge, Sara thought.

Of course, that didn't make the sight of Bagwell's smirk, or the strong smell of his perfume (Angel) any more tolerable.

"Well," Abruzzi was the one to start. "Let us get to business, shall we?"

As Sara had never met John Abruzzi before, she spent more attention on him than on Bagwell, who was a waste of effort, anyway, with his smug satisfaction – it was like he expected, because he'd watched an illicitly taken video that showed her without her clothes on, that she would cower in front of him, stare blushing at the desk like a young virgin.

Abruzzi, now, was more interesting – his manly authority puffed up by an Armani suit, black, like Bagwell's. He hadn't made even a disguised effort to look like a man of second importance here. Lank, shoulder-length hair gave his face a peculiar frame, from which his direct blue eyes stared unflinchingly at her. Domineering though not patronizing, and certainly not delighting in what he supposed to be her humiliation.

Yes, Sara thought, that's more like it.

Wasn't it fitting, if she was going to consider stepping down from the race (like a disgraced Queen desperate to save her honor), that she should know who she was really putting in the White House?

Naturally, Abruzzi himself appraised the pair before him, and Sara watched as he wondered if Kellerman was the real authority here… How traditional.

Let him think what he will.

"Business," Theodore Bagwell agreed, maybe to fend off the impression that his associate was speaking for him, "is why we're all here. It's been a long night for all of us…" This while giving Sara an imperceptible Cheshire grin. "We won't take more of your time than we need to. None of us, I'm sure, wants to make a nasty affair out of this."

"Your video's good," Sara said.

There was a slight eyebrow-raising on Bagwell's face. Shocked with her directness and lack of modesty. It was all very well with her.

"Not perfect, but good. Not that it matters," she went on. "You might have been in that motel room getting close ups of every single body part you fancied." The utter absence of hesitation in her voice at this point was crucial. "I won't back down. Because you think you can manhandle me into doing just that, because you think your exposing that I have a sex life and a body would be enough leverage, you make my stance all the stronger."

"Now –" Bagwell cut in.

"Leak that video if you like." Sara shrugged. "Which of us do you think will come out looking the worst for it? Because it'll be clear, I'll make it clear, you're the only person it could have come from. As things are, Senator, you're already coming off as a bully – don't make yourself into a tyrant. You still have a political career, and you can try and take the presidency from me four years from now. You might run again for the next thirty years. We both know retirement comes late in our line of work. Let's be honest about one thing. This would be a scandal for the both of us – and however damaging it would be to me, it'll be irreparable to you."

A vague noise climbed out of Abruzzi's throat and all the way to his lips. It took Sara a moment to identify it as laughter.

Not that she herself was in the mood for laughs.

The four opponents had agreed to meet at eight a.m. sharp, at Kellerman's office, where they had met Lincoln a mere few hours before.

There, he'd given them his phone and stepped outside as she and Kellerman watched the video – he'd done that of his own initiative, to his credit – and they'd both decided it would be impossible to dismiss it as a hoax. It was clear from the first, and they didn't waste time on discussing it; even in dim lighting, the video showed too much, and looked too genuine. Too many people would look at it and argue it was real, and for Sara to lie now, when she'd run a campaign on transparency, might very well make Bagwell's rugged charisma and down-to-earth personality look appealing.

There'd been no need for Lincoln to take part in their deliberations, and Sara had sent him out without delay, and without asking news about Michael…

Though she could see in Lincoln's stony, feelingless gaze, that the break between the brothers had been deep enough – she couldn't, for the time being, deal with two crises at once. She must fight it on the public front before she could worry about what this had done to her private life – to the man she loved.

You wouldn't think, looking at her, what a night she'd had, the sleeplessness and the emotional thunderstorm, and the intense work she'd gone through with Kellerman, coming up with a defense plan.

Bagwell and Abruzzi were meant to look at her and marvel at her untiring, undefeatable will.

They were meant to think her a force to be reckoned with.

Abruzzi's eyes were shining with intelligence. Ten, thirty seconds of silence, as he determined how to handle this.

"Don't think for a second," he said, "that I have no respect for how you're taking this. I admire courage, in women especially."

Sara didn't repress a sigh (it was strategic).

How cheap.

He should know she knew he was assuming a paternalistic role as a lowly attempt to subdue her.

And the iron grit in her eyes and face said, It won't do.

"But let's get real," Abruzzi said. "Let's get real. Do serious careers ever start with a sex scandal?"

"Sex scandals are bad," Bagwell volunteered.

"Please," Kellerman sighed, "don't mention Clinton."

"Well, I don't see why I wouldn't when it's such a perfect way to illustrate my meaning."

"Clinton was a radically different affair," Kellerman said, sharp and quick. Efficient. "Poles apart. Clinton lied. There are so many ways we can spin this to our advantage –"

Abruzzi laughed; again, in a strange choking noise. "That's a little too much."

Still below surface, Sara's heartbeat spiked up with excitement.

That's it. Show me what you are. Drop the mask and the velvet gloves.

"I have your candidate on camera screwing some guy's brains out. You fellows want to negotiate, that's fine, but as we're a little old for make-believe – even you, Governor – let's not pretend we aren't all perfectly aware I've got you by the balls."

"How appropriate you should use that image," Sara cut in. Cool, no artificial coldness. Abruzzi fell silent for a moment and – yes – resumed studying her with dissatisfied eyes. "Nudity's bad in America, isn't it? So bad you'd think the presidency, a job that is going to be a matter of life and death for countless people throughout the world – you'd think it would all be jeopardized because of balls or tits."

Bagwell's brows arched in pointy triangles over his eyes. On occasions, Sara had seen the real cleverness in those eyes, how they wrinkled trying to figure her out, but right now, it was dumb and plain surprise.

"So it comes down to a wager, really," she said. "It comes down to our beliefs in the people… And I don't believe they're going to care all that much about your sex tape. In fact, I think they're tired of being treated like a fickle mob incapable of genuine reflection – tired of being given games and bread while the leaders of the free world live like monarchs in a crystal kingdom."

"You're still new to this game, Governor." Abruzzi remarked.

"Yes, I am new. New got me as far as I am now. It'll get me elected."

"And you don't think that becoming an internet porn queen a couple of weeks before the vote will distract the people from your credibility as a national leader?"

Still with a carefree smile, Sara shrugged her shoulders.

"You're bluffing, Governor." Abruzzi said after a moment. "You don't think I'll leak it… You think you've convinced me you'd make it look as bad for us as it will for you."

"If you get your kicks out of starting scandals, go ahead. You want to end your candidate's career in shame – because the shame will be his – don't let me stop you. It'd be more clever to wait another four years for him to get his chance, and you strike me as someone clever enough, John. But I've been mistaken before."

"I despise flattery," said John.

"And I despise flatterers."

She wouldn't call him clever if she didn't mean it. She hadn't called Bagwell clever, for example, although she could see he had his moments – was more of a threat than he might seem at first glimpse.

"A'right," Abruzzi sighed. "Let me tell you how this'll go down." He didn't pause for effect; not now. Maybe it was tiredness, or premature vexation at his plan's failure – he must have expected a different attitude from her tonight. In any case, the theatrics seemed to have been drained out of him. "I'm going to give you twenty-four hours. Time is running short, and I'm aware of this – in one week, America will be voting for its new president, so I can't give you much longer to consider our deal."

"I don't need time."

"Yes you do. Think about every person you know, Governor. Think about your career – your future in general. Talk to revenge porn victims. Consider every sphere of your life that's going to be affected by this. Oh, and I don't mean just the death and rape threats that'll pile up in your mailbox. But while you're at it – think about those too."

Abruzzi got on his feet. Senator Bagwell didn't immediately imitate him, like a docile lap dog – instead, he sat and looked at Sara, for a long while, as if to say –

You want to tell me again, love, that this isn't about power?

Sara sat still, head high, the curve of her jaw and chin statuesque, unwavering.

There'd be time to waver, later today.

"Let's meet here again tomorrow," Abruzzi glanced at his watch, "at eight fifteen. We can start talking in earnest – there can be room for you in Bagwell's government."

An audible scoff from Kellerman. Abruzzi didn't glance at him – held eye-contact with Sara until he was finished.

"You care about the lives of the helpless, Governor. How about travelling the world, negotiating peace between Palestine and Israel, starting programs to feed the hungry? You'd make a fine Secretary of State. You're still young. Very young. Think of this as a win-win situation – letting my candidate have his term while you're gaining experience. Like I said, I admire your courage, and I do think America will elect you president, one day."

"And I suppose," Sara said, "you'd want as strong a say in my government as you'll get in your current candidate's?"

Abruzzi cocked his head to the side. "You can't have gotten as far as you have in the world of politics not to know who rules the world, Governor. I'll see you in twenty-four hours."

Then, Bagwell did get up, after giving the room an appreciative glance – like this was his office. Like he was about to own every inch of this country. He cracked open the door and slid out like a shadow (or like the vanishing cat in Alice that leaves nothing behind but its grin).

Abruzzi followed close after his candidate, but he stopped shortly at the door, drumming his fingers over the wall.

He turned back to Sara and spoke his first and last compliment, as some kind of unpremeditated musing.

"The apple," he said, "sure fell far from the tree."

End Notes: I know I played Sara very confident here, but it makes sense for me to think she would have gotten there if she'd been dealing in politics for years (just remember how she used T-Bag's erectile dysfunction to manipulate him at the end of season 4) so I'd argue it's not out of character at all. I could definitely see her pulling this off ;-). The title is a reference to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

I also wanted to say thanks so much for all the kind guest reviews, this sort of support means the world to me. To answer some of your questions, yes, this should be a long story and I intend to update at least one chapter per week. Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. I'm so excited about what's coming!