Title: Limited options   SAM You got a second? LEO Yeah. SAM So, I wanted to apologize about before. LEO Don't worry about it. SAM You know what I'm talking about? LEO Yeah. *************** Leo knew. For all I know, he set it up. But he knew. Which means Josh told him. I can’t help the heat in my face, and make a quick exit. The day before... I yelled at Leo. How stupid am I? Pretty stupid. Still, I was angry. So was he. Note to self: Don’t yell at Leo. Scratch that. Don’t even *think* about yelling at Leo.   In the Residence, later that same day...   Jed looked up from his briefing document. ‘What you gonna do about it?’   Leo scowled. ‘It’s your fault!’   ‘Leo!’   ‘You told me, you didn’t tell anyone else, and we told Sam last.’   ‘He’s the youngest.’   Leo’s withering look silenced Bartlet, who dropped his head. ‘Sorry.’   Leo sighed crossly. ‘You can’t do it. *I* can’t do it. I’m not asking Toby...’   ‘Josh.’   Leo looked at Jed as if he’d suggested the Easter Bunny. ‘What?’   ‘I *know* Leo.’   Leo groaned. ‘No.’   Jed nodded. ‘Yup. Josh.’   The more Leo considered Jed’s suggestion, sighing and getting up only to sit down a moment later, the more it made sense. ‘Okay.’   Jed watched his friend leave the room and settled to read the report, but the words swam before his eyes. Pushing the sheets to the floor, Jed watched them fan out. ‘Dammit!’   *****************   ‘Josh! Leo wants to see you. He’s in the Oval.’   Donna replaced the telephone, having passed the message on, and returned to her work.   Josh swore. A meeting with Leo wasn’t factored into the time he had allowed himself to get his work done. He got up and walked slowly into the office. ‘Leo?’   ‘Siddown.’ Leo swallowed hard, made sure all the doors were closed, took a deep breath and explained his idea.   Josh shook his head. ‘No Leo! For one, no. For another, it’s not fair. Sam was right.’   Leo sighed hard. ‘You think I don’t know that? But you’re still gonna do it.’   Josh looked at the floor. ‘Okay.’   Leo nodded, then looked down, the matter closed and Josh’s time up.   Josh walked out slowly, wondering how the Hell he was going to do it.   ******************** Josh was already home when Sam walked into their apartment. ‘Josh?’   ‘Yeah.’   Sam followed the sound of Josh’s voice into the bedroom, walking in, pulling at his tie. It took him a moment to realise Josh was sitting on the end of the bed, already changed into sweats and a t-shirt, his face unreadable.   ‘Josh?’   ‘You yelled at Leo. When it’s not his fault.’   Sam felt the first stirrings of unease. ‘You think I should have yelled at the President?’   Josh shook his head. ‘No. I think you should have yelled at me.’   Sam backed towards the door. ‘No Josh.’   Calmly Josh reached out a hand. ‘Come here Sam.’   Sam’s eyes brightened, and he shook his head. ‘Josh, I didn’t mean it...I...’   Josh waited, his eyes locked on Sam’s.   It wasn’t long before Sam pulled his tie off and began to unbutton his shirt. His hands shook and he crossed the floor, biting his lip as Josh took over, unbuttoning and unzipping his suit pants. Sam stepped out of them, bending to pick them up, causing Josh to have to work hard to restrain his smile at Sam’s neatness, even in the circumstance. ‘Let’s get this done Sam.’   Lying across Josh’s lap, Sam whispered brokenly. ‘It’s not fair.’   Josh wondered where his calm tone came from, but said gently: ‘The President has MS, I was shot. Life isn’t fair Sam.’ As he spoke, he stroked Sam from shoulder to waist and back again, his large hand soothing Sam’s trembling. He lifted the edge of Sam’s shirt, folding it back out of the way.   He stroked gently across both Sam’s smooth pale warm cheeks, feeling the flesh jump as Sam’s muscles contracted. ‘Leo got us here. He has been through Hell and it’s not him you’re mad at.’   Shaking hard, Sam whispered: ‘I know.’   Sam’s head was resting on his folded arms, a pillow under them. His muffled voice was full of hurt and Josh’s heart went out to him. But he knew he would end up over Leo’s lap if he didn’t follow through, and he tightened his grip around Sam’s waist. He snapped his hand down onto Sam’s left cheek, leaving a perfect handprint. Sam’s soft gasp was followed by another as a matching shape decorated his right cheek.   Josh stopped, rubbing Sam’s shoulders gently. ‘Keep still now.’   When the third sharp sound snapped the air, it was accompanied by Sam’s yelp of surprised pain.   Josh had to concentrate hard to keep count. He had no idea how many times he was going to spank Sam, but he thought twelve was probably enough. However, by the time he got to six, Sam was sobbing, squirming and kicking. ‘Stop Josh!!’   Josh stopped. He loosened his tight grip on Sam’s waist, his warm hand stroking Sam’s bright red flesh.   ‘Ahh...Josh.’ Sam moaned crossly.   Josh smiled. ‘Be nice to Leo.’   Sam scowled. ‘I know!’   Josh lifted Sam into a hug, mindful of his sore flesh. ‘Okay?’   Sam nodded, sniffing. ‘It could have been worse.’   ‘Oh?’   Sam smiled. ‘Leo could have asked Toby.’   Josh shook his head. ‘Nah. I wouldn’t have let him.’   ‘You’d have argued with Leo?’   Josh nodded, hugging Sam. ‘About this, yeah. About anything else, probably not.’   Sam laughed. ‘Be nice to Leo, right?’   Josh took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. ‘Yeah. He gets the President a second term, we get four more years of twenty-hour days.’   Sam pushed away from Josh, looking at him. ‘Do we really want to do this?’   Josh paused for a moment. ‘Leo needs us.’   Sam laughed, his whole body shaking, gasping as his heated flesh rubbed on Josh’s sweats. ‘Ah!’   Josh flipped Sam face down and blew gently on Sam’s punished cheeks.   Sam squirmed, giggling. ‘Josh, stop it!’   Josh stopped. ‘Okay. Tomorrow, apologise okay?’   Sam lifted himself to his feet, his creased shirt falling over his bare bottom. He sighed theatrically. ‘Okayyyy.’   Josh nodded. ‘Okay. Let’s eat. You want pizza or Chinese?’   ‘Pizza.’   ‘You usually like Chinese after...’   ‘Josh!!’   Josh nodded. ‘Okay. Cos when I...it’s fun, and this wasn’t, right?’   Sam blushed, delightfully Josh thought. ‘Um...yeah.’   Josh fished his cell phone out of his pocket. ‘Okay.’   *********************   The following morning ‘Josh!’ Leo shouted through his door as he saw Josh’s backpack pass by outside.   ‘Yeah?’ Josh poked his head through the door.   ‘Did you take care of...you know?’   Josh nodded, walking in. ‘Yeah. Then we had pizza.’   Leo pulled off his glasses, his expression uncomfortable. ‘I could care what you ate!’   ‘Sam’s gonna...you know, later.’   Leo nodded. ‘Okay. Go away and do something useful.’   Josh closed the door behind him. End