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When Leo McGarry's in the White House |
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Author: Maeve Spoilers: don’t think so Disclaimer: not mine, don’t sue Feedback: yes please sorsha16@hotmail.com Notes: So this was written before anyone’s even seen Election Day…hopefully it’s not totally off base. If it is, oh well. It’s a Leo/Margaret friendship story. She was chatting up the other secretaries when he finally found her. The flash of fire red hair caught his attention and he snapped out her name, motioning to his office. It was until he was in his office and she had come in that he noticed what she was wearing. Jeans and a t-shirt. Normally he might have had something to say about it, but the entire effect of the outfit seemed to fit the day. Election Day. Blazoned across her chest, in thick black letters was “Bartlet 4 America.” He had the idea that all the assistants were supporting the team in those little t-shirts. He also had the idea that it would serve to distract him all day. She looked damn good. “Yeah?” she asked, pulling a pen from her jeans pocket. Nice jeans…well fitting jeans. Stop it McGarry. “Josh just told me that Joey Lucas isn’t happy about some polling.” He waved off his reference to the deaf woman. “I’m gonna have him bring in some information and I need you to work up a spreadsheet for me.” “Okay,” she nodded, “when does it need to be done?” “I’d like to say yesterday,” he breezed through the answer, “but lets say by the next half hour briefing, huh?” “I might have to bring it in while your meeting.” She chewed her lip, “depends on Josh and how much data - ” “That’s fine Margaret.” He snapped with a nod, “I’ll have him put a move on it.” She stared at the papers in her hand. Margaret bit her lip and thanked Donna for dropping off the paperwork. She flashed the other woman a distracted grin and a wave, catching glance of the casual outfit. “Margaret!” His voice was quick, which meant she needed to be there fast. She grabbed the folder, flipping through it lightly as she moved into the room. “I just got the paperwork Leo, it’s not done yet, I - ” “I know.” He tossed out, raking up certain documents from his desk and stuffing them into an envelope. “I need you to get this to Toby.” “He’s meeting with the President - ” “Leave it with Ginger.” His constant interruptions were starting to become a little too heated. A bit too unchecked. She bit back a comment and moved out of the office, heading towards Ginger’s desk. New York. They weren’t sure he would carry It was only “Leo,” she wandered into his office, “have you looked
at the polling data for “No…why?” “It looks bad.” She answered fast, plopping the papers before him. “Why the hell do I care about “Because it’s New York Leo,” she felt anger tripping her own voice as well, “and you have to care, because it’s your job to care. And you have to stop yelling at me. I can’t just do all your work and still have you yelling at me.” He stared at her a moment, his eyes fixed on her fuming stature. She had just yelled at him. All out yelled. They probably heard it at Congress for cryin’ out loud. There was pain in her eyes, and it made him feel like a jackass. “I’m sorry.” He replied, quietly and sincere. “I know.” She snapped. Her eyes dropped and a deep breath shuddered in her chest. Margaret sat in the chair before his desk with a sigh. “It’s Election Day Margaret, I - ” “I know.” She ground out again, eyes lifting. “How about I get you some dinner tonight?” he asked softly, “we’ll try to calm down and just have a nice dinner. I swear, nothing about the election.” “You can’t do that.” She answered softly, “You’re blocked full, and there’s not an hour today where you won’t be looking at the polls.” She’s right. “I know.” It was his turn to reply solemnly. She didn’t answer…just turned and left to finish his paperwork. “You’re briefing starts in five,” he voice trailed back to him, “I’ll bring the paperwork when it’s finished.” They were all fidgeting. Some of them were watching the TV. CNN rolled on the screen, sound muted. Toby was scribbling something furiously on his notebook and Sam was reading it from beside him. “So Joey doesn’t like the look of “It’s not just “Which ones?” Toby tossed out, his hands lifted. “ Bartlet glowered at Lyman, his eyes narrowed. They watched the man swallow hard and take a seat at the table. He dropped his eyes. “Leo, did he just say “Think he did Mr. President.” The angry voice of Josiah Bartlet was halted when Margaret stepped into the room. She knelt beside Leo, handing over a rather thick folder. “The first set is the national-level polling rate; the second set is listed by state. The state listing is ranked by population, and then Senate representation, alphabetically. The third set is a list of states we need to watch, in comparison to the ones we’re pretty sure we have.” “I could kiss you right now.” He smiled softly to her, his voice down low. “I know, but that’s only because you haven’t looked at
“Yeah, get outta here.” He felt himself start to smile as she stood. “Thanks, Margaret.” He looked up to find a bunch of glances pointed in his direction. “What?” “You should have.” Josh grinned. “Should’ve what?” he snapped back. C.J smirked, “Kissed her right here.” “All right, can we get back to the meeting please?” he begged the President. Barltet grinned at the others around the table. He looked back to Leo. “I don’t know, I agree with them.” Leo tossed the folder to the table. “Good God.” His bellowing her name hadn’t lessened any, even after she’d yelled at him. Margaret stepped fast into his office, dropping a couple papers in his inbox as she stopped in front of his desk. She arched a brow expectantly as he scanned through some memo. “Can you re-type this for me, I wrote all over it.” He handed her the folder she’d given him in the meeting. “Annotations and footnotes are all.” “You looked at “Yes I finally looked at them.” He looked up hastily, “I’m pulling everything together as a report for the meeting over lunch.” “Is he okay,” she asked, “I mean with the McGarry shrugged, “I don’t know.” He looked to her softly, gentleness in his eyes. Leo offered her a weak smile and waved to the chair before his desk. She sat carefully, eying him. He watched her tuck her red hair away behind her ear. “What do you think…about “I’m not a political advisor Leo, I’m a secretary.” She replied. He sighed gently. “You’re not stupid either Margaret, humour me.” “I think,” she looked warily towards the door of the Oval
Office, “if he doesn’t get “Well said.” He voiced, agreeing with a nod. “What do you think?” she stood, inching towards him. Her fingers idly played with the glass paperweight on the corner of his desk. “I think when the votes come in; I better have my wallet ready, because I’ll be the one paying.” “I’m not hungry Margaret.” She arched a brow and still set the sandwich down in front of him. The redhead set down a cup of coffee and an apple on his desk as well, glaring at him hard. When he tossed up and exasperated look she shook her head. “None of you ate lunch during your lunch meeting. You have an hour break between meetings, and you need to get something to eat. I can hear your stomach growling from my desk.” She turned on her heel, on her way out. “You can not.” He replied, as an afterthought, “Come back here.” She turned slowly on her heel, glancing at him. He pulled a drink from the coffee cup, trying to appease her enough that she would sit down. After a moment he cocked his head and waved to the chair she’d sat in earlier. “Have lunch with “I already ate.” “Then just sit with me, talk to me while I eat.” He pleaded softly. When she finally sat he took a bite of the sandwich, chewing carefully as she leaned in, reading the papers on his desk. Leo smiled. She was so damn nosy. It was cute. “See something you like?” he questioned, talking around his coffee cup. “Just looking.” She blinked, and then blushed. “So tonight…” his voice trailed away. “Yes?” “When all the votes come in,” he glanced up, eyes shy, “I want you here, in the White House.” She’d planned on it. There was slight confusion in her glance, “Why?” “So I have someone to celebrate with.” His eyes betrayed him. He wasn’t positive they were going to win. She knew the glance of uncertainty in his eyes. She recognized it well. He was trying to be positive, and it was draining him. Suddenly she didn’t feel so angry at him for the yelling thing. And she suddenly felt the urge to be there when he asked. Where ever and whenever. “Okay.” She nodded. He sighed, his hands rested on the desk, “You think will win Margaret?” “When Leo McGarry’s in the White House…” she trailed off. “Margaret?” She pulled a deep breath, voice fast and unchecked, “Yes. We will. Because you’re Leo McGarry, and he’s Jed Bartlet…and you two are meant to be here.” He was silent, watching her softly. Leo picked up his coffee and took a drink, then looked back to the woman before him. “Thank you.” Click Leo and Margaret to send feedback:
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