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Fic category: Leo/Margaret friendship fic Fic rating: PG-13/15 for topic/content Main characters/new ones: Leo, Margaret, and the West Wing staff. Part of a series: Yes Part Two of Unfamiliar Territory. Spoilers: Anything from Season One onwards might appear in these fics. See notes. Fic summary: Leo organises Margaret’s birthday party. Josh organises the game of ‘Spin the Bottle’. But it wasn’t his idea. Archive: Yes if you want to. Just let me know where please. I might want to tell my friends about it. Notes: It will help if you’ve read the Wine & Roses and the first part of Unfamiliar Territory . And have seen the film ‘Pretty Woman’. From which some lines in this fic (as usual) come. This was written as a ‘Celebration’ challenge fic by me for my Yahoo Club site. But my loyal readers came up with the main ideas. It has more spoilers than you can shake a stick at. A big stick. And is a little off-canon. Well, a lot… |
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Title: Unfamiliar Territory Part Two Leo was visiting the West Wing offices and bullpens, making sure everyone knew about, and were coming to, Margaret’s birthday party at the end of the week. He ticked the names off his mental list as he walked towards Sam’s office and knocked on the door. ‘Y’know what? I’m not really in the mood to celebrate, Leo.’ Leo slammed Sam’s office door shut. ‘Okay, I’ve had enough of this. You are not going to ruin Margaret’s birthday because you’re sulking. You feel left out? Try being the guy’s best friend for, well, ever, and only finding out he’s got a terminal disease when he passes out on the floor of his office.’ Aware that they were being stared at through the windows, Leo lowered his voice. ‘Get over it Sam. Before Friday. Okay?’ ‘You don’t get it, do you? I’m always last. Just cos I’m the youngest…’ The people in the office outside were forgotten as Leo’s anger built. ‘You think it was easy for any of us? Well, think about how the President felt, having to keep it from all of us. Then you think how Abbey felt, knowing but not being able to tell us to lay off him, to hold back. Watching the man she loves lying on the floor, wondering if this time he wouldn’t be able to get back up. You think about that Sam, next time you feel a bout of self-pity coming on!’ Both men looked towards the door as it opened. ‘Leo, got a second?’ ‘Sir.’ Sam dropped into his chair as Leo and the President walked out.
**************** ‘You sure about this Sir? I mean, Josh?’ Putting Josh in charge of the arrangements for the party seemed a little odd. Jed knew Leo was trying to keep his feelings for Margaret secret, and didn’t want to make too much fuss. But Josh? ‘Yeah. Give him something to do. And you’re gonna be busy enough this week, right?’ Leo wasn’t convinced, but he was busy. ‘I guess.’ ‘Okay then. Ask him to come in when he’s got a free minute, would you?’ ‘Sure.’ ************* ‘Oh, Sam. There’s no more cake. Here, have mine.’ Bartlet handed Sam the paper plate and plastic fork. Leo had suggested that china and silver didn’t give out an ‘informal birthday party’ message. Which is what he had promised Margaret. After she had, reluctantly, agreed to a party in the Residence, just so the President and the First Lady could attend. In the event, Zoey was unwell, so Abbey and Charlie had gone to take her some party food and Advil. And Leo had backed down on his idea for fancy dress. He wanted to see Margaret in the dress she’d bought with her winnings from the ‘Pretty Woman’ bet. ‘It’s okay, Sir. Really.’ ‘No, Sam. I insist. I don’t want you upset over something else I didn’t do right.’ ‘Sir…’ ‘It’s okay Sam. I know you’re pissed with me. But I don’t want to have to worry about that this evening, okay?’ Sam nodded, smiling just a little. ‘Yes Sir.’ ‘Good. Now go get yourself a drink. And get me one while you’re there. If I go over there, Leo will make me join in the party games. And I’m not gonna do that. It’s much more fun standing here watching my staff bump into each other while blindfolded.’ Sam laughed. ‘They’re gonna play ‘Blind Man’s Buff?’ ‘Probably. I put Josh in charge of the games. Who knows? Now, get drinks then come back here and we’ll talk some more, okay.’ ‘Yes Sir.’ ‘Y’okay Sam?’ Leo frowned as he saw Sam walk towards him. He had watched Sam and Jed talking, then seen Sam walk away. ‘Yeah Leo. I’m fine.’ As Sam walked away, beer bottles in hand, Leo caught Jed’s attention, and mouthed ‘You okay?’ Jed nodded. They weren’t. But they would be. *************
‘Margaret. Happy Birthday.’ ‘Thank you Mr President.’ ‘Here. Open it later.’ Bartlet took her glass from her then handed her a small, flat beautifully-wrapped package. ‘Thank you.’ She kissed Bartlet gently on the cheek, and he smiled, waiting until she had tucked the present into her purse before handing her back her glass. ************ The empty beer bottle spun more slowly, eventually coming to a complete stop with its neck pointing directly at Leo. No-one noticed Josh pull the card from the bottom of the pile, rather than the top. It had been a while coming, and he’d only just remembered in time the President’s instructions on what to do when the bottle pointed at Leo. ‘Okay. Something people don’t know about you.’ He saw the slight shake of Leo’s head. ‘Or…’ Josh flipped the card over. He smiled as he read the President’s alternative suggestion. ‘Kiss someone in the room.’ Leo’s eyes roamed across the people sitting around the table. He locked eyes with Toby. ‘Want a whole new experience, Toby?’ Toby put down his cigar, his voice and expression matching. ‘No.’ ‘CJ?’ ‘Why me? Just because I’m a woman? That’s unfair.’ Leo pretended to be deeply hurt by her rebuttal. ‘Thanks Claudia Jean.’ ‘Josh?’ ‘You’re my boss. Don’t you think it’d be a little weird tomorrow?’ ‘Okay. Sam?’ Sam thought quickly. ‘I’ve kissed your daughter.’ ‘Good point.’ ‘Sir?’ ‘Same reason as Sam.’ Josh waved the card at him. ‘Gotta think of a different reason.’ ‘Oh, okay.’ He thought for a few seconds. ’Um…okay, got it. If the Press found out, we’d be on the front page of the Post.’ Leo thought about that for a second. ‘You win the prize for best excuse.’ Leo’s gaze finally came to rest on Margaret. As did everyone else’s. ‘Sorry Margaret.’ Margaret was suddenly very uncomfortable. This wasn’t at all what she’d had in mind when the President had asked her to stay after the party. She’d always thought of ‘Spin the Bottle’ as a teenage game. She couldn’t kiss Leo in front of…it was just too, well, public. Then she reminded herself only she and Leo knew how they felt about each other. And if she made too much of a fuss, there’d be gossip. So she forced a smile. ‘It’s okay Leo. I mean, I am your assistant. This probably comes under the ‘Miscellaneous’ heading in my job description, right?’ Leo realised her discomfort, and nodded. ‘You wanna come over here, or you want me to…’ ‘Er, Josh, there’s nothing in the rules that says we have to stay in the room with you while we…you know…is there?’ Josh frowned. ‘I guess not. I don’t think this game has any real ‘rules’.’ Margaret got up, extending her hand towards Leo who sat watching her, a bemused look on his face. ‘Then if you’ll all excuse us.’ Everyone round the table turned and watched Leo and Margaret walk out, closing the door behind them. Josh picked up the empty bottle. ‘I guess that’s the party over.’ The others looked at each other. Toby got up. ‘Er, yeah.’ *************** Toby frowned. ‘Y’know, they’ve been a while. Maybe we should just make sure they’re okay.’ Josh got up. ‘I’m his Deputy, I should go.’ CJ got up. ‘If Margaret needs anything, I should go.’ Jed got up. ‘I’m Leo’s oldest friend. If he needs anything, I should go.’ Sam and Toby looked at each other. Toby walked towards the closed door. ‘We should all go.’ Bartlet nodded. ‘Good idea.’ The door opened then, startling them all. Looking around, wondering why everyone was standing up, Leo and Margaret came back in. Leo’s tie was loose, Margaret’s top button undone. Leo had his arm around Margaret’s waist. ‘You can congratulate us.’ ‘On a kiss?’ ‘No Josh. On our forthcoming wedding.’ *************** ‘You wanna go home?’ Margaret nodded. ‘Your place or mine?’ ‘Yours.’ He liked Margaret’s apartment. It felt lived in, an extension of her. His never felt that way. ‘Okay.’ At least, Margaret thought, relieved, this time it was tidy. ‘We could watch our favorite film.’ ‘Yours or mine?’ ‘You mean your stupid one or my classic?’ ‘The film with a horses head in is a classic? The one with a happy ending is stupid?’ Leo looked at Margaret as if there could be only one answer to her question. He nodded. ‘Yeah.’ She smiled. ‘You know what?’ ‘What?’ ‘We just had our first row.’ Leo smiled as he held the car door open for her. ‘As an engaged couple.’ Margaret looked down at the small diamond. ‘Yeah.’ ‘Thanks.’ Leo took the coffee mug from Margaret who settled against him. ‘Oh, I nearly forgot. The President gave me a present. He told me to open it after the party.’ She got up and opened her small evening purse, pulling out the long flat package. Leo reached down as she sat at his feet and took the ribbon and paper from her as she opened the envelope. Leo read over her shoulder. Two tickets for a week’s cruise round the Caribbean. And a small card. ‘Congratulations. Have a great honeymoon. Jed and Abbey.’ ‘Leo, this is so nice of them.’ ‘Yeah.’ Leo was just thankful it didn’t occur to Margaret to wonder how Jed and Abbey had known in advance of the party that they were getting married. After a few minutes Margaret moved in Leo’s arms, lifting her head from his chest. ‘So, which is it to be – Al Pacino or Richard Gere?’ Leo thought for a moment. ‘You know, we don’t have to watch a film.’ ‘No?’ ‘No. We could just sit and talk.’ Margaret nodded, getting up. ‘Yeah. Or we could go to bed.’ Leo put his half-empty mug down. ‘And talk.’ Margaret set her mug next to his. ‘If you want to.’ ‘Yeah, we can talk about setting a date for the wedding.’ ‘Okay.’ ‘And how we want to tell everyone.’ Margaret groaned. ‘Do we have to?’ Leo took her hand, holding her fingers straight. ‘This is gonna be kind of hard to explain away.’ Margaret looked down at the ring. ‘Can we tell everyone tomorrow? Get it over with.’ Leo reached across and put his arm around Margaret as they walked into the bedroom. ‘Sure. Whatever you want, Mrs McGarry.’ As they lay side by side, Leo’s arm around Margaret’s shoulders, her head resting on his chest, Margaret had a sudden thought. ‘Are you going to ask the President to be your Best Man?’ ‘Yeah. You gonna have all the assistants as bridesmaids?’ ‘Yeah. Leo, there’s something I want to say…’ Leo frowned, concerned at her sudden change of mood. ‘Margaret, what is it?’ ‘I love you.’ Leo smiled, folding his arms around her, breathing in the smell of her shampoo, her perfume, and the faint smell of cigars. ‘I love you too.’ As they drifted into sleep, Margaret wondered if she would ever find out exactly when Leo had told Jed he was going to ask her to marry him. End |
To be continued…