Title: Low

Part of the Near Wild Heaven sub-series of the REM Song Title Series

Author: Malana

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Joss, ME, ect own Willow.  I think Warner Brothers owns The

West Wing, and they can force Sorkin out of his job, but everything wonderful about TWW will always be his.

Spoilers:  Assume up to the end of season 3 for TWW and through season 6 with BtVS. Tara was murdered, Willow went evil, went to England and recovered.

Distribution: Want it, take it, just tell me

Feedback: Please!

Note: I'm not sure who's POV I'm going to do in the future  If you have any requests please e-mail  me. Malana@mac.com

 

    I want to kill something.

 

    With my bare hands, I want to kill something.

 

    "Sam!"  I yell my Deputy's name.  I have no idea whether he is nearby or not; I don't care. If he's anywhere within range of my voice he better come running.  I start counting under my breath. Before I get to 10 he's standing in front of me.

 

            "Hey, Toby."  He's obviously trying to hide he's nervousness, and it isn't working.

 

            "Sam."

 

            "I'm...uh...actually I'm glad you're here."  Sam is looking around the room, he refuses to meet me eyes. "There's something I need to tell you about."

 

            There it is. He knows. He knows something about this.  I'm going to kill him.  I grab the tabloid I've been holding under my mind, and shove it in front of his face. "Might you want to talk to me about this?"

 

            He takes the paper from me and swallows nervously.  He's eyes go wide as he looks at the picture on the front page.  I guess he didn't know it had hit the press yet. Normally I don't put much stock in tabloids, but when there is clear photographic evidence...

 

            I clear my throat, "Is this, or is this not a photograph of CJ making out with some girl?" You can't see the girl's face very clearly, but the woman in the photo is unmistakably CJ. 

 

            "Yes...yes it is" Sam stammers.

 

            "The tabloid say's the girl's 18. Congratulations Sam, I think your little thing with the hooker has finally been outdone."

 

            "Well, first of all it was a call girl, not a hooker."

 

            I have a strong urge to strangle him. "Sam, look at my face. Do you really think that I care about the hooker/call girl distinction right now."

 

            Sam finally meets me eyes, then shakes his head. "Yeah, I guess not."

 

            "An 18 year old, Sam!"  I shout. "How long have you know about this?"

 

            "She's 22, and I've know about it since yesterday morning, when CJ came and told me." He raises his voice as well. I can tell he's getting indignant.

 

            "Why the hell didn't you make her come and tell me? Come to think of it, why didn't she come and see me first?" 

 

            "I told CJ that I'd tell you about it. I planned on telling you yesterday, but we had to deal with the thing, and there wasn't time.  If I had thought the press had anything, I would have came to you sooner.  As to why CJ told me first...."  He trails off a little, and I get the impression he's upset about something.  It's hard to believe, but I get the feeling that Sam might be just as pissed off about this than I am.

 

            "It's Willow," he eventually manages to say.

 

            I raise an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

 

            "The girl CJ is seeing, the girl in the picture, It's my cousin Willow."

 

            I grab the tabloid back from Sam, and stare at the picture.  He's right.  It's Willow.  I've only met the girl a few times, but it's definitely her.  This just became even more of a story.

 

            I let out a sigh. "So let me get this straight.  The Press Secretary is dating a woman."

 

            "Yeah," Sam replies.

 

            "A 22 year old woman."

 

            "Yeah."

 

            "A 22 year old woman who just happens to be the cousin of the Deputy Communications Director."

 

            "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

 

            Sam and I just stare at each other for a moment.  Honestly, I don't even know what to do.  I absentmindedly run a hand over my head.  This is going to be one hell of a day.

 

            "Sam, get CJ.  We need to meet with Leo and Josh. And for God's sake, let's try to keep this off the President's desk until Senior Staff can talk to him.  I don't want him to find out through an AP wire."

 

            Sam nods, but doesn't move. He just stares at the floor.

 

            "Sam?  Are you actually planning on doing the things I just asked you to do?"

 

            He continues to stand there for a moment.  I think he's trying to decide whether to say something or not.

 

            "Sam?" I can't keep the impatience out of my voice.

 

            He looks up at me, "Are you okay with this, Toby?"

 

            "I think it's quite obvious that I'm pretty pissed about this, Sam."

 

            "I mean, if it weren't for the whole press thing.  If we didn't have to worry about public reaction, would you be okay with CJ dating Willow?"

 

            I pause before I answer, not sure at what's he's getting at, "Sam, have I done anything in the past to make you think that I'm in any way homophobic?"

 

            Sam shakes his head. "No, of course not. That's not what I meant. Just, never mind. Never mind." He turns and goes to leave.

 

            "Sam, what are you talking about?  I mean, putting all the scandal stuff aside, why would I care who CJ dates?"

 

            He stares at me again for a moment, than shakes his head. "It's nothing, Toby, really. I'm going to go round up the others, okay?"  He turns and leaves.

 

            I sit down heavily at my desk. What the hell had Sam been getting at?  I don't care who CJ is dating. Why would I?  I don't.

 

            I don't.

 

           

END

 

A/N: I don't know who's POV I'm doing next, suggestions would be appreciated.